๐ Dental Local Anesthetic Maximum Dose Calculator
For dental students and dentists: enter weight and choose an anesthetic to get the maximum dose and cartridges โ including the epinephrine limit for cardiac patients.
All anesthetics for this weight
How it is calculated
- Maximum mg = weight (kg) ร maximum dose (mg/kg), never above the drug's absolute maximum.
- mg per cartridge = concentration % ร 10 ร volume (mL). Example: lidocaine 2% ร 10 ร 1.8 = 36 mg.
- Cartridges = maximum mg รท mg per cartridge (rounded down).
- With epinephrine we also apply the epinephrine limit (0.2 mg healthy, 0.04 mg cardiac) and use the lower value.
| Anesthetic | mg/kg | Max total | mg per 1.8 mL cartridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lidocaine 2% + epinephrine 1:100,000 | 4.4 | 300 mg | 36 mg |
| Articaine 4% + epinephrine 1:100,000 | 7 | 500 mg | 72 mg |
| Articaine 4% + epinephrine 1:200,000 | 7 | 500 mg | 72 mg |
| Mepivacaine 3% (plain) | 4.4 | 300 mg | 54 mg |
| Mepivacaine 2% + levonordefrin 1:20,000 | 4.4 | 300 mg | 36 mg |
| Prilocaine 4% (plain) | 6 | 400 mg | 72 mg |
| Bupivacaine 0.5% + epinephrine 1:200,000 | 1.3 | 90 mg | 9 mg |
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Medical records with an interactive dental chart, appointments with WhatsApp reminders, billing and stock โ with the EME clinic system.
๐ฉบ Medically reviewed by: Dr. Mohammad Alshami (Dentist โ Oral Surgery & Dental Implants) and Dr. Sohaib Alshami (Surgeon โ Aesthetic Medicine) ยท Last reviewed: 2026-10-02
Sources: AAPD โ Use of Local Anesthesia for Pediatric Dental Patients ยท Malamed, Handbook of Local Anesthesia
This tool is for education only and does not replace a dentist's advice.
Frequently asked questions
How many lidocaine cartridges can a child have?
For a 20 kg child: 4.4 ร 20 = 88 mg รท 36 mg per cartridge โ 2.4 cartridges maximum. Always use the lowest effective dose.
Why do maximum doses differ between anesthetics?
Each drug has a different concentration and toxicity profile, so mg/kg and absolute limits differ โ e.g. articaine 7 mg/kg vs lidocaine 4.4 mg/kg in the AAPD table.
Does epinephrine limit the number of cartridges?
Yes, especially in cardiac patients: the suggested limit is 0.04 mg epinephrine โ about two 1:100,000 cartridges.
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