What does the acronym IANB stand for in dental anesthesia?

• A. Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block
• B. Inferior Anterior Nerve Block
• C. Infraorbital Nerve Block
• D. Internal Alveolar Nerve Block

Answer: (A)

Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block is a common mandibular anesthesia technique. The name identifies the nerve being blocked—the inferior alveolar nerve, a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve—and the procedure of delivering anesthetic near the mandibular foramen to interrupt sensation from the lower teeth on the same side. When done correctly, this block numbs the pulps of the mandibular teeth from the midline to the last molar on that side, as well as the associated mucosa and soft tissues such as the tongue’s lingual area and lower lip/chin region via adjacent branches. The other options refer to different nerves or nonstandard terms (for example, the infraorbital block targets the maxillary division and upper teeth), so they don’t fit.