Buccal Nerve Dissection Via an Intraoral Approach: Correcting an Error Regarding Buccal Nerve Blockade.

PURPOSE: The buccal nerve (BN) supplies sensation to the skin over the anterior part of the buccinator, buccal mucosa, and buccal gingivae corresponding to the second and third molar teeth. Some dental anatomy books depict the main trunk of the BN coursing over the buccal shelf of the mandible, which leads to a serious misunderstanding of this anatomy. Therefore, this study aimed to show the course of the BN on the retromolar area and establish new evidence-based anatomy for appropriate BN blockade.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Twenty sides from 10 fresh-frozen Caucasian cadaveric heads were used in this study. The closest distance from the BN to the injection site of the BN blockade (Dis A) was measured.

RESULTS

The mean Dis A was 12.69 ± 2.95 mm. On 16 of 20 sides (80%), Dis A was longer than 10 mm. In most specimens, the injection site of the BN blockade was too far from the course of the main trunk of the BN and the injection site should be changed to 10 mm superolateral to the injection site based on the present results and those of other previous studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the distribution of the BN is variable, in most specimens, the current injection site for BN blockade was too far from the course of the BN.