CDCA local anesthesia exam review
UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and
CORRECT Answers
which has thicker cortical plate, maxillary or mandibular? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔mandibular (this decreased the amount of the local anesthesia molecules that can
penetrate to nerves during infiltration injections)
due to the thickness of cortical bone, which is a good option for local anesthetic in the
mandibular arch during infiltrations? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Articaine (Septocaine) is
sometimes effective for mand. infiltrations (4% vs. 2% for lidocaine) due to the increased
number of molecules
hematomas are most common with which type of injection, and why? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔PSA due to nicking a vessel in the pterygoid plexus of veins
what is the TX for a hematoma? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔pressure, cold compresses
on/off, NSAIDS, and time.
a positive aspiration when administering a PSA is due to what? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔aspirating hemorrhage caused by injection
what are the three most common locations for hematomas to occur? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔1. PSA
2. IA
3. mental
blanching of the tissue following/during an injection is caused by what? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔vasospasm/vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine or brushing against
autonomic nerves stimulation vasospasm
the pterygomandibular space/triangle is bordered by what anatomical structures? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ramus, lateral pterygoid muscle, and medial pterygoid muscle
, the pterygomandibular space/triangle is identified intra-orally by what? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔pterygoid hamulus (palpation), coronoid notch (palpation), and
pterygomandibular raphe (visual)
the mandibular foramen lies approx. __________________________ of the distance from the
anterior border of the ramus to the posterior border - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1/2 to 2/3
Antero-posteriorly, the greater palatine foramen is located between the
___________________________. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔middle oft he maxillary
second molar and the middle of the third molar in about 80-90% of patients.
all arteries leading to the oral cavity receive blood from what? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔external carotid (most are direct or indirect branches from the maxillary artery with the
exception of the lingula -- this is a direct branch from the external carotid)
veins from the oral cavity will drain into what? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔internal jugular
(both internal and external drain into the brachiocephalic veins which drain to the superior
vena cava
do myelinated or un-myelinated nerves create faster impulse? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔myelinated (impulses jump from node to node -- node of ranvier)
what is saltatory conduction? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the process of nerve impulses
jumping from nodes of ranvier along a myelinated nerve
what is the resting potential charges of a nerve? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔inside is
negative and outside is positive
what molecules are predominately outside/inside at resting potential? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔Na+ outside and K+ inside
what is depolarization? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Na+ channels open , Na+ flows in
reversing polarity; K+ flows out to restore neutrality; the Na+ and K+ pumps restore polarity
(resting potential)
UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and
CORRECT Answers
which has thicker cortical plate, maxillary or mandibular? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔mandibular (this decreased the amount of the local anesthesia molecules that can
penetrate to nerves during infiltration injections)
due to the thickness of cortical bone, which is a good option for local anesthetic in the
mandibular arch during infiltrations? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Articaine (Septocaine) is
sometimes effective for mand. infiltrations (4% vs. 2% for lidocaine) due to the increased
number of molecules
hematomas are most common with which type of injection, and why? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔PSA due to nicking a vessel in the pterygoid plexus of veins
what is the TX for a hematoma? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔pressure, cold compresses
on/off, NSAIDS, and time.
a positive aspiration when administering a PSA is due to what? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔aspirating hemorrhage caused by injection
what are the three most common locations for hematomas to occur? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔1. PSA
2. IA
3. mental
blanching of the tissue following/during an injection is caused by what? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔vasospasm/vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine or brushing against
autonomic nerves stimulation vasospasm
the pterygomandibular space/triangle is bordered by what anatomical structures? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ramus, lateral pterygoid muscle, and medial pterygoid muscle
, the pterygomandibular space/triangle is identified intra-orally by what? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔pterygoid hamulus (palpation), coronoid notch (palpation), and
pterygomandibular raphe (visual)
the mandibular foramen lies approx. __________________________ of the distance from the
anterior border of the ramus to the posterior border - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1/2 to 2/3
Antero-posteriorly, the greater palatine foramen is located between the
___________________________. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔middle oft he maxillary
second molar and the middle of the third molar in about 80-90% of patients.
all arteries leading to the oral cavity receive blood from what? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔external carotid (most are direct or indirect branches from the maxillary artery with the
exception of the lingula -- this is a direct branch from the external carotid)
veins from the oral cavity will drain into what? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔internal jugular
(both internal and external drain into the brachiocephalic veins which drain to the superior
vena cava
do myelinated or un-myelinated nerves create faster impulse? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔myelinated (impulses jump from node to node -- node of ranvier)
what is saltatory conduction? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔the process of nerve impulses
jumping from nodes of ranvier along a myelinated nerve
what is the resting potential charges of a nerve? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔inside is
negative and outside is positive
what molecules are predominately outside/inside at resting potential? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔Na+ outside and K+ inside
what is depolarization? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Na+ channels open , Na+ flows in
reversing polarity; K+ flows out to restore neutrality; the Na+ and K+ pumps restore polarity
(resting potential)
