Articaine Bone Penetration — NDEB AFK MCQ
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Correct answer: A — Superior bone penetration allowing reliable buccal infiltration anaesthesia of mandibular molars in adults
Articaine 4% with 1:100,000 epinephrine has superior bone penetration compared to lidocaine 2% due to its higher concentration, increased lipid solubility, and the presence of a thiophene ring (enhancing tissue diffusion). This allows reliable buccal infiltration anaesthesia of mandibular posterior teeth in adults — potentially avoiding the IAN block. Multiple studies demonstrate that articaine buccal infiltration provides comparable anaesthesia to IAN block for mandibular molar procedures.
Reference: Malamed – Handbook of Local Anesthesia, 7th ed., 2020