Editing Local anesthetic (section)

=== Gow-Gates Technique ===
Gow-Gates technique is used to provide anesthetics to the mandible of the patient's mouth. With the aid of extra and intraoral landmarks, the needle is injected into the intraoral latero-anterior surface of the condyle, steering clear below the insertion of the lateral pterygoid muscle.<ref name = "Gow-Gates_1998">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gow-Gates GA | title = The Gow-Gates mandibular block: regional anatomy and analgesia | journal = Australian Endodontic Journal | volume = 24 | issue = 1 | pages = 18–19 | date = April 1998 | pmid = 11431805 | doi = 10.1111/j.1747-4477.1998.tb00251.x }}</ref> The extraoral landmarks used for this technique are the lower border of the ear tragus, corners of the mouth and the angulation of the tragus on the side of the face.<ref name = "Gow-Gates_1998" />

Biophysical forces (pulsation of the maxillary artery, muscular function of jaw movement) and gravity will aid with the diffusion of anesthetic to fill the whole pterygomandibular space. All three oral sensory parts of the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve and other sensory nerves in the region will come in contact with the anesthetic and this reduces the need to anesthetise supplementary innervation.<ref name = "Gow-Gates_1998" />

In comparison to other regional block methods of anestheising the lower jaw, the Gow-Gates technique has a higher success rate in fully anesthetising the lower jaw. One study found that out of 1,200 patients receiving injections through the Gow-Gates technique, only 2 of them did not obtain complete anesthesia.<ref name = "Gow-Gates_1998" />