Which nerve is MOST commonly injured during local anesthetic injection in dentistry?

Correct answer: C. Lingual nerve

• A. The IAN is a target for the IAN block — while paresthesia after IAN block can occur, injury to the lingual nerve during IAN block injection is more common.
• B. The mylohyoid nerve is rarely injured during dental injections.
• C. The LINGUAL NERVE is the most commonly injured nerve during dental LA injections, particularly during the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block. The lingual nerve runs medial to the ramus in close proximity to the injection site and can be traumatized by the needle, causing temporary or (rarely) permanent paresthesia. It is significantly more commonly injured than the IAN itself.
• D. The mental nerve can be injured during mental nerve blocks, but these are less commonly performed and the mental nerve is less frequently damaged than the lingual nerve.