Which injection blocks anesthesia to the mandibular teeth on one side including molars and premolars?

• A. Inferior alveolar nerve block
• B. Posterior superior alveolar block
• C. Infraorbital nerve block
• D. Greater palatine block

Answer: (A)

An inferior alveolar nerve block is the injection that anesthetizes the mandibular teeth on one side, including the molars and premolars. This technique targets the inferior alveolar nerve as it enters the mandibular foramen, delivering anesthetic before the nerve branches to the teeth. As a result, sensation to the entire mandibular quadrant on that side is blocked, covering the molars and premolars (and often the anterior teeth via the incisive branch as the block diffuses). It also commonly affects the mental nerve, numbing the lower lip and chin, and can affect nearby tissues supplied by the lingual nerve. The other blocks listed target the maxilla or palatal tissues and do not provide anesthesia to mandibular teeth, so they don’t fit the description.