Which nerve, when anesthetized, also anesthetizes both the anterior and middle superior alveolar nerves?

The correct answer is that the infraorbital nerve, when anesthetized, effectively provides anesthesia not only to the infraorbital area but also extends its effects to the anterior and middle superior alveolar nerves.

The infraorbital nerve is a branch of the maxillary nerve (V2), and it innervates the skin of the lower eyelid, side of the nose, and the upper lip. Importantly, this nerve gives off the anterior and middle superior alveolar branches before entering the infraorbital foramen. Anesthetizing the infraorbital nerve, therefore, will block the sensory fibers carried by the anterior and middle superior alveolar nerves, which supply sensation to the maxillary teeth in those respective regions.

In contrast, while the other options may involve different functions and branches of the nerve system, they do not provide the same direct anesthetic coverage as the infraorbital nerve does for the anterior and middle superior alveolar nerves. The facial nerve primarily controls muscles of facial expression and does not provide sensory innervation to the teeth, the maxillary nerve is a larger trunk from which branches arise but does not anesthetize as effectively as the target indicated, and the mandibular nerve (V3) is involved with