Which route of administration is used for local anaesthetic during dental procedures, where the agent is injected directly into the nerve area?

The most appropriate route of administration for local anaesthetic during dental procedures, where the agent is injected directly into the nerve area, is the nerve block. This technique involves injecting the anaesthetic near or around a major nerve or a group of nerves that supply sensation to a specific area of the mouth. By doing so, it effectively blocks nerve transmission, providing more profound and targeted pain relief in the area serviced by that nerve.

Nerve blocks are particularly valuable because they allow for the anesthetization of larger areas compared to infiltration techniques, which only numb the immediate area around the injection site. This makes nerve blocks ideal for procedures that might otherwise cause significant discomfort, such as tooth extractions or longer cosmetic work.

While infiltration involves injecting the local anaesthetic directly into the tissue around the tooth, it does not provide the same depth of anaesthesia as a nerve block. Similarly, intraosseous administration, which involves injecting directly into the bone, is used in specific scenarios but is less common as a primary method for broader pain control across multiple teeth. Intravenous administration is not typically used for local anaesthesia in dentistry, as it is meant for systemic circulation rather than localized targeting of nerve fibers.