Which nerve block is commonly used for anesthesia of the canine dental arcade?

• A. Mental nerve block
• B. Infraorbital nerve block for rostral maxilla or inferior alveolar branch for the mandible, depending on tooth location
• C. Glossopharyngeal nerve block
• D. Greater palatine nerve block

Answer: (B)

In canine dental anesthesia, you target the nerves that supply sensation to the teeth themselves. The upper teeth in the rostral maxilla are innervated by the infraorbital nerve, so blocking that nerve gives anesthesia to the rostral maxillary teeth. The lower teeth in the mandible are supplied by the inferior alveolar nerve, so blocking near the mandibular foramen provides anesthesia to the mandibular teeth. Because the dental arcade spans both jaws, the appropriate block depends on which teeth you’re working on—infraorbital for the rostral maxilla and inferior alveolar for the mandible. The other blocks don’t cover the full arcade: the mental nerve block mainly affects the rostral mandible and lower lip, the glossopharyngeal nerve block isn’t used for dental anesthesia, and the greater palatine block primarily anesthetizes palatal tissues rather than the entire dental arch.