The mental nerve block is an excellent means of anesthetizing the lower lip & the lower face. It is relatively simple to learn and safe in that few vital structures pass nearby the area.
It is not effective for lacerations that cross the angle of the mandible, so be weary of its use for chin lacerations that sit right at the cusp. It also doesn’t provide anesthesia to the underlying teeth, as would a block of its parent, the inferior alveolar nerve.
Mental nerve block is a safe and simple way to achieve analgesia of the lower lip.