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Anesthesia · single question

For anesthesia to extract a maxillary second molar, which nerve block is generally NOT required (the tooth is not innervated there)?

  1. Greater palatine block alone is insufficient because the buccal pulp/roots are supplied by the posterior superior alveolar nerve; the inferior alveolar (mandibular) block is not used for a maxillary tooth
  2. Posterior superior alveolar block
  3. Middle superior alveolar contribution
  4. Greater palatine for palatal tissue
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Correct answer: A. Greater palatine block alone is insufficient because the buccal pulp/roots are supplied by the posterior superior alveolar nerve; the inferior alveolar (mandibular) block is not used for a maxillary tooth

A maxillary second molar is anesthetized by the posterior superior alveolar nerve (buccal/pulpal) and the greater palatine nerve (palatal soft tissue). The inferior alveolar nerve block (a mandibular technique) is not used for maxillary teeth.Other options: PSA block, MSA contribution, and greater palatine for palatal tissue are appropriate for maxillary molar anesthesia.Key exam takeaway: Maxillary molar: PSA (buccal/pulp) + greater palatine (palatal); do not use a mandibular (inferior alveolar) block.

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