Which statement best describes the maxillary nerve block (V2 block)?

Which statement best describes the maxillary nerve block (V2 block)?

• A. It anesthetizes the mandible
• B. Method for achieving profound hemimaxilla anesthesia
• C. Only used for tooth extraction
• D. Performed via a buccal infiltration

Answer: (B)

Blocking the maxillary nerve (V2) provides anesthesia to the entire maxillary half of the face because this nerve carries sensation from the upper teeth, the corresponding buccal mucosa, and palatal tissues on that side. By delivering anesthetic near the pterygopalatine fossa or infraorbital canal, the nerve is blocked before its branches split, so the resulting anesthesia covers the hemimaxilla rather than just a single tooth or a small area. This makes it the method for achieving profound hemimaxilla anesthesia. The other ideas don’t fit as well: the maxillary nerve block does not affect the mandible—that requires a mandibular (inferior alveolar) block. It’s not limited to tooth extraction—it's used for a wide range of procedures on the maxilla. And it isn’t performed by a buccal infiltration, which is a superficial technique targeting only local tissues near a tooth, not the entire maxillary nerve distribution.

Blocking the maxillary nerve (V2) provides anesthesia to the entire maxillary half of the face because this nerve carries sensation from the upper teeth, the corresponding buccal mucosa, and palatal tissues on that side. By delivering anesthetic near the pterygopalatine fossa or infraorbital canal, the nerve is blocked before its branches split, so the resulting anesthesia covers the hemimaxilla rather than just a single tooth or a small area. This makes it the method for achieving profound hemimaxilla anesthesia.

The other ideas don’t fit as well: the maxillary nerve block does not affect the mandible—that requires a mandibular (inferior alveolar) block. It’s not limited to tooth extraction—it's used for a wide range of procedures on the maxilla. And it isn’t performed by a buccal infiltration, which is a superficial technique targeting only local tissues near a tooth, not the entire maxillary nerve distribution.