Neural Blockade Anaesthesia of the Mandibular Nerve and Its Terminal Branches: Rationale for Different Anaesthetic Techniques Including Their Advantages and Disadvantages

Figure 3

Intraoral photograph of the left side of the oral cavity showing the injection sites for different mandibular block techniques. The pterygotemporal depression exists between the pterygomandibular fold and coronoid notch and represents the area where a direct or indirect IANB is administered in the mediolateral plane. The height at which this block is given is approximately the level of the coronoid notch. In contrast, the Gow-Gates mandibular block is administered at a much higher level. The mesiopalatal cusp of the upper second molar determines the height of the injection while the site in the mediolateral plane is the area of tissue just posterior to the upper second or third molar (PTD: pterygotemporal depression, PMF: pterygomandibular fold, CN: coronoid notch, 1: area where a direct/indirect IANB would be administered, 2: area where a Gow-Gates mandibular block would be administered).