CDCA Local Anesthesia Exam Review 2026 | Complete Study Guide & Verified Answers
which has thicker cortical plate, maxillary or mandibular? - (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? - (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? - (answer)PSA due to nicking a
vessel in the pterygoid plexus of veins
what is the TX for a hematoma? - (answer)pressure, cold compresses on/off, NSAIDS, and time.
a positive aspiration when administering a PSA is due to what? - (answer)aspirating hemorrhage caused
by injection
what are the three most common locations for hematomas to occur? - (answer)1. PSA
2. IA
3. mental
blanching of the tissue following/during an injection is caused by what? -
(answer)vasospasm/vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine or brushing against autonomic nerves
stimulation vasospasm
the pterygomandibular space/triangle is bordered by what anatomical structures? - (answer)ramus,
lateral pterygoid muscle, and medial pterygoid muscle
the pterygomandibular space/triangle is identified intra-orally by what? - (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 - (answer)1/2 to 2/3
, CDCA Local Anesthesia Exam Review 2026 | Complete Study Guide & Verified Answers
Antero-posteriorly, the greater palatine foramen is located between the
___________________________. - (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? - (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? - (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? - (answer)myelinated (impulses jump
from node to node -- node of ranvier)
what is saltatory conduction? - (answer)the process of nerve impulses jumping from nodes of ranvier
along a myelinated nerve
what is the resting potential charges of a nerve? - (answer)inside is negative and outside is positive
what molecules are predominately outside/inside at resting potential? - (answer)Na+ outside and K+
inside
what is depolarization? - (answer)Na+ channels open , Na+ flows in reversing polarity; K+ flows out to
restore neutrality; the Na+ and K+ pumps restore polarity (resting potential)
what is the mechanism of action for local anesthetics? - (answer)blocks the Na+ channels preventing
depolarization
what is the basic structure of anesthetics? - (answer)aromatic ring (lipid soluble), intermediate chain
(amide or ester configuration), and terminal amine (able to ionize and become water soluble)
lipophilic vs. hydrophyllic - (answer)lipophilic is lipid soluble and hydrophyllic is water soluble
which has thicker cortical plate, maxillary or mandibular? - (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? - (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? - (answer)PSA due to nicking a
vessel in the pterygoid plexus of veins
what is the TX for a hematoma? - (answer)pressure, cold compresses on/off, NSAIDS, and time.
a positive aspiration when administering a PSA is due to what? - (answer)aspirating hemorrhage caused
by injection
what are the three most common locations for hematomas to occur? - (answer)1. PSA
2. IA
3. mental
blanching of the tissue following/during an injection is caused by what? -
(answer)vasospasm/vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine or brushing against autonomic nerves
stimulation vasospasm
the pterygomandibular space/triangle is bordered by what anatomical structures? - (answer)ramus,
lateral pterygoid muscle, and medial pterygoid muscle
the pterygomandibular space/triangle is identified intra-orally by what? - (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 - (answer)1/2 to 2/3
, CDCA Local Anesthesia Exam Review 2026 | Complete Study Guide & Verified Answers
Antero-posteriorly, the greater palatine foramen is located between the
___________________________. - (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? - (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? - (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? - (answer)myelinated (impulses jump
from node to node -- node of ranvier)
what is saltatory conduction? - (answer)the process of nerve impulses jumping from nodes of ranvier
along a myelinated nerve
what is the resting potential charges of a nerve? - (answer)inside is negative and outside is positive
what molecules are predominately outside/inside at resting potential? - (answer)Na+ outside and K+
inside
what is depolarization? - (answer)Na+ channels open , Na+ flows in reversing polarity; K+ flows out to
restore neutrality; the Na+ and K+ pumps restore polarity (resting potential)
what is the mechanism of action for local anesthetics? - (answer)blocks the Na+ channels preventing
depolarization
what is the basic structure of anesthetics? - (answer)aromatic ring (lipid soluble), intermediate chain
(amide or ester configuration), and terminal amine (able to ionize and become water soluble)
lipophilic vs. hydrophyllic - (answer)lipophilic is lipid soluble and hydrophyllic is water soluble
