Overview
One method of providing anesthesia of the lower lip and skin innervating the chin is the mental nerve block. This simple nerve block can provide the analgesia needed for laceration repairs, surgical interventions including tumor resections, and even relief from postherpetic neuralgia. The mental nerve is a branch of the inferior alveolar nerve that exits via the mental foramen and divides into 3 branches below the depressor anguli oris muscle. One branch supplies the skin of the chin and the other 2 innervate the skin and mucous membrane of the lower lip. Note that this nerve block does not provide anesthesia to the teeth or mandibular soft tissue. The pain associated with the mental nerve block is significantly less than with other intraoral nerve blocks.