LOCAL ANESTHESIA - CDCA BOARD
Exam Questions and Answers | 2026
Step-by-Step Exam Review | A+ Verified
• hematomas are most common with which type of injection, and why? -✓✓PSA
due to nicking a vessel in the pterygoid plexus of veins
• what is the TX for a hematoma? -✓✓pressure, cold compresses on/off, NSAIDS,
and time.
• a positive aspiration when administering a PSA is due to what? -✓✓aspirating
hemorrhage caused by injection
• what are the three most common locations for hematomas to occur? -✓✓1. PSA
2. IA
3. mental
• blanching of the tissue following/during an injection is caused by what? -
✓✓vasospasm/vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine or brushing against
autonomic nerves stimulation vasospasm
• the pterygomandibular space/triangle is bordered by what anatomical structures?
-✓✓ramus, lateral pterygoid muscle, and medial pterygoid muscle
• the pterygomandibular space/triangle is identified intra-orally by what? -
✓✓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 -✓✓1/2 to
2/3
• Antero-posteriorly, the greater palatine foramen is located between the
___________________________. -✓✓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? -✓✓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? -✓✓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? -✓✓myelinated
(impulses jump from node to node -- node of ranvier)
• what is saltatory conduction? -✓✓the process of nerve impulses jumping from
nodes of ranvier along a myelinated nerve
• what is the resting potential charges of a nerve? -✓✓inside is negative and
outside is positive
• what molecules are predominately outside/inside at resting potential? -✓✓Na+
outside and K+ inside
Exam Questions and Answers | 2026
Step-by-Step Exam Review | A+ Verified
• hematomas are most common with which type of injection, and why? -✓✓PSA
due to nicking a vessel in the pterygoid plexus of veins
• what is the TX for a hematoma? -✓✓pressure, cold compresses on/off, NSAIDS,
and time.
• a positive aspiration when administering a PSA is due to what? -✓✓aspirating
hemorrhage caused by injection
• what are the three most common locations for hematomas to occur? -✓✓1. PSA
2. IA
3. mental
• blanching of the tissue following/during an injection is caused by what? -
✓✓vasospasm/vasoconstriction caused by epinephrine or brushing against
autonomic nerves stimulation vasospasm
• the pterygomandibular space/triangle is bordered by what anatomical structures?
-✓✓ramus, lateral pterygoid muscle, and medial pterygoid muscle
• the pterygomandibular space/triangle is identified intra-orally by what? -
✓✓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 -✓✓1/2 to
2/3
• Antero-posteriorly, the greater palatine foramen is located between the
___________________________. -✓✓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? -✓✓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? -✓✓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? -✓✓myelinated
(impulses jump from node to node -- node of ranvier)
• what is saltatory conduction? -✓✓the process of nerve impulses jumping from
nodes of ranvier along a myelinated nerve
• what is the resting potential charges of a nerve? -✓✓inside is negative and
outside is positive
• what molecules are predominately outside/inside at resting potential? -✓✓Na+
outside and K+ inside
