LOCAL ANESTHESIA CDCA EXAM ACTUAL
TEST PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ 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
◉ 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)
TEST PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ 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
◉ 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)
