140 Where There Is No Dentist 2012
Injecting the Lower Teeth
When you block the nerve, it affects all of the teeth as well as gums on that
side. However, it takes practice to do this successfully. Ask an experienced
dental worker to help you learn how to give this injection properly.
Stand in such a way that you can see clearly where you need to inject. Ask
the person to open wide.
1. First feel for the place to be injected.
Put your thumb beside the last molar tooth. (Wash your hands first!
See page 86.) Feel the jawbone as it turns up towards the head. Rest
your thumb in the depression there.
2. Press against the skin with the end of your thumb.
The skin forms a ‘v’ shape. Your needle must go into the ‘v’.
Hold the syringe on top of tooth
number 4 and aim the needle at the ‘v’.
Push the needle in until it hits the
jawbone, (about ¾ of the length of a
long needle). Pull back on the plunger
of the aspirating syringe to check for
blood (page 138).
Inject 1.5 ml of local anesthetic (¾ of a cartridge).
Try to feel your way: If you hit bone too early, pull the needle part
way out and move it over so that it points more toward the back of the
mouth. Try again.
If you do not hit bone, the needle is too far back. Pull it part way out,
and point it more toward the front. Push it in again.