Question

Topical anesthesia affects:

a. the outer 1 mm of the mucous membrane
b. the outer 2-3 mm of the mucous membrane
c. the nerve root trunk
d. none of the above

Answer 1

Topical anesthesia affects the outer 1 mm of the mucous membrane, blocking nerve conduction and preventing sensory impulses.

Step-by-step explanation:

Topical anesthesia is utilized for numbing a specific area of the body, particularly the mucous membranes. The correct answer to the question 'Topical anesthesia affects:' is a. the outer 1 mm of the mucous membrane. This type of anesthesia provides a temporary loss of sensation without affecting consciousness and is applied directly to the target area. It acts by blocking nerve conduction, preventing the initiation and transmission of sensory impulses without causing structural damage to nerve fibers or cells. In the context of dentistry, topical anesthetics may be applied before an injection to reduce pain from the needle.