The Journal of the American Dental Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The significance of needle bevel orientation in achieving a successful inferior alveolar nerve block.
The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, crossover study comparing the degree of pulpal anesthesia achieved with the use of a conventional inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block administered with the needle bevel oriented away from the mandibular ramus or toward the mandibular ramus. ⋯ For IAN blocks administered with a 27-gauge needle, positioning the needle bevel away or toward the mandibular ramus does not affect anesthetic success.