Nerve block analgesia is a mainstay for pain control in dentistry. It is relatively safe but can occasionally have complications.
Complications of dental nerve block analgesia:
(1) necrosis, which may extend into adjacent bone
(2) ulceration
(3) pain
(4) paresthesias
(5) infection
Risk factors for complications:
(1) operator error (inexperienced, error in judgment, ignorance, etc)
(2) inclusion of epinephrine in the anesthetic mixture
(3) inclusion of another toxic agent in the anesthetic mixture
(4) making a subperiosteal injection
(5) injecting too much fluid into a confined space, resulting in a localized compartment syndrome
(6) intra-arterial injection
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Specialty: Otolaryngology, Anesthesiology
