Methods: A total of 40 patients needing this injection for a planned dental procedure were enrolled. The patients received a greater palatine nerve block at the anterior depression of the greater palatine foramen by an oral surgeon using 0.4 ml of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Five minutes after injection, anesthesia was identified with a sharp probe designed to give a maximum force of 400 mN. The presence of pain was determined by asking the patient to raise his or her hand if the stimulus became painful. Subsequently, the patient received additional local anesthesia and the planned dental procedure.
Results: This study showed that 17.5% of patients reported no pain on maximal stimulation of the gingival margin of the central incisor. Analogous gingival margin findings for other sites were as follows: lateral incisor, 57.5%; canine 85%; first premolar, 90%; second premolar 97.5%; first molar, 100%; second molar, 100%; third molar, 100%; and soft palate, 97.5%. Similar, though usually slightly reduced, percentages were recorded for intermediate and midline palatal sites.
Conclusions: Administration of a greater palatine nerve block may produce anesthesia of the anterior palate in some patients and of the anterior soft palate in most patients.