Editing Trigeminal nerve (section)

=== Dermatomes ===
The areas of cutaneous distribution ([[Dermatome (anatomy)|dermatome]]s) of the three sensory branches of the trigeminal nerve have sharp borders with relatively little overlap (unlike dermatomes in the rest of the body, which have considerable overlap). The injection of a [[local anesthetic]], such as [[lidocaine]], results in the complete loss of sensation from well-defined areas of the face and mouth. For example, teeth on one side of the jaw can be numbed by injecting the mandibular nerve. Occasionally, injury or disease processes may affect two (or all three) branches of the trigeminal nerve; in these cases, the involved branches may be termed:
* '''V1/V2 distribution''' – Referring to the ophthalmic and maxillary branches
* '''V2/V3 distribution''' – Referring to the maxillary and mandibular branches
* '''V1-V3 distribution''' – Referring to all three branches

Nerves on the left side of the jaw slightly outnumber the nerves on the right side of the jaw.