The key to profound local anesthesia: neuroanatomy.

BACKGROUND: To achieve profound dental local anesthesia, it is necessary for the dentist to have a thorough knowledge of the details of sensory innervation to the maxilla and mandible. Since the early 1970s, dentistry has experienced a resurgence of interest in the neuroanatomical basis of local anesthesia, resulting in numerous scientific reports on the subject. OVERVIEW: Current studies afford a more detailed knowledge of the branching of various divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the great sensory nerve of the head region. In this article, the authors provide an update of the peripheral distribution of the trigeminal nerve to enhance induction of safe and effective dental local anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: An understanding of the potential variations in innervation should help the dentist improve his or her ability to induce profound local anesthesia.