Nerve Block: Mental
Background
- Mental nerve innervates the skin of the chin and mucous membranes of the lower lip (from lip anteriorly to alveolar process and to the mid body of the mandible) - by blocking this nerve you can have adequate anesthesia for complicated laceration closures
- NOTE: this block does NOT anesthetize the teeth or mandibular soft tissue (see Nerve Block: Inferior Alveolar)
Indications
- Trauma or need to perform painful procedure on area innervated by mental nerve
Contraindications
- Infection overlying injection site
- Previous allergic reaction to local anesthesic used
- Distortion of anatomic landmarks
Equipment Needed
- Local anesthesic
- Chloraprep
- Syringe with blunt fill needle and 27ga needle
Procedure
- Obtain informed consent
- Place patient in semi-recumbent position
- Draw up 2-5cc of anesthetic into syringe
- Locate the mental foramen by retracting the cheek laterally and palpating between the 2 lower premolar teeth
- Insert the needle along the lower gum into the buccal fold between the premolar teeth without placing the needle directly into the foramen
- Aspirate; if no blood, inject a few cc's of anesthetic slowly (avoid injecting directly into the foramen as to prevent damage to the neurovascular bundle)
Complications
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Pain
- Needle fracture
- Neuropraxia