When providing local anesthesia for a child, which of the following is not true?

In the context of providing local anesthesia for children, the assertion that using topical anesthetics instead of injections if possible is not true can be explained by the fact that while topical anesthetics can be helpful in minimizing discomfort during the injection process, they are not always a substitute for the local anesthesia needed. Children may still require injectable local anesthetics to achieve adequate sedation and pain control during dental procedures, especially when deep tissue anesthesia is needed.

Topical anesthetics are generally used as an adjunct to injections, primarily to numb the skin or mucosal surface prior to a needle penetration. However, they may not provide sufficient or adequate anesthesia for procedures that involve deeper tissue. Therefore, injections are often necessary to ensure the child is comfortable and to achieve effective anesthesia.

The other statements reflect commonly accepted practices when administering local anesthesia to pediatric patients. Needle penetration depth is typically less deep in children due to anatomical differences, and it is common practice to use less anesthetic volume with children compared to adults, considering their lower body weight and volume requirements. Furthermore, infiltrations are often preferred over nerve blocks in many pediatric cases to reduce the risk of complications and maximize comfort.