Nerve block: Supraperiosteal

Overview

• Helpful for single tooth(ache)

Indications

• Dental pain

Contraindications

• Infection overlying injection site
• Allergy to local anesthetic being used

Equipment Needed

• Topical anesthetic: 20% benzocaine or 5% lidocaine ointment soaked in cotton/gauze
• Local anesthetic (lidocaine 2%)
• 3-5mL syringe
• Blunt fill needle
• 25-27ga needle

Procedure

Preparation

• Allow patient to close jaw and relax rest of facial muscles
• Dry area and apply topical anesthetic

Injection

• Retract lip or cheek until mucobuccal fold is fully exposed
• Puncture the mucobuccal fold with the bevel of the needle facing the tooth
• Aspirate, then inject 1 to 2 mL of local anesthetic at the apex of the tooth
• Goal is to allow anesthetic to penetrate the cortex of bone to reach the nerve of the individual tooth

Complications

• Failure to anesthetize if the anesthetic is deposited too far from the periosteum

See Also

• Nerve blocks (main)