This color-coding system, adopted by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs in 2003, has been incorporated into
ISO standard 11499, “Dentistry – Single-use cartridges for local anaesthetics.” Each single-use cartridge should have two indelible bands indicating the name and concentration of both the anesthetic ingredient (Table 1) and the vasoconstrictor (Table 2).
The tables below, which utilize the Pantone Matching System (PMS) for color identification, illustrate the appropriate colors for both ingredients. Although color-coding is a useful adjunct for anesthetic identification, it is prudent for dentists to read the labels of all drugs they administer.
Table 1. Local anaesthetic agent and concentration colors (Band 1)
|
Product |
Band color (PMS)
|
Articaine - 4%
|
Gold
871
|
Gold
872 |
Gold
873
|
Gold
874
|
Gold
875
|
Bupivacaine - 0.5%
|
Blue
300 |
Blue
301
|
|
|
|
Lidocaine - 2% |
Red
185
|
Red
186
|
Red
199
|
Red
200
|
|
Lidocaine - 3%
|
Purple
266 |
Purple
267 |
|
|
|
Mepivacaine - 2%
|
Brown
477
|
Brown
478
|
Brown
498
|
Brown
499
|
|
Mepivacaine - 3% |
Tan
406
|
Tan
407
|
Tan
408 |
|
|
Prilocaine - 3% |
Orange
136
|
Orange
137 |
|
|
|
Table 2. Vasoconstrictor and concentration colors (Band 2)
|
Product |
Band color (PMS)
|
No vasoconstrictor
|
White |
None |
|
|
|
Epinephrine
< 1:200 000
|
Yellow
108
|
Yellow
109
|
Yellow
110
|
Yellow
115
|
Yellow
116
|
Epinephrine
< 1:100 000 to 1:200 000
|
Orange
136
|
Orange
137 |
|
|
|
Epinephrine
< 1:50 000 to 1:100 000
|
Brown
477
|
Brown
478
|
Brown
498
|
Brown
499
|
Epinephrine
1:50 000
|
Green
347
|
Green
348
|
Green
355
|
Green
356
|
|
Levonordefrin |
Black |
None
|
|
|
|
Nor-epinephrine
1:100 000
|
Tan
406
|
Tan
407
|
Tan
408 |
|
|
Nor-epinephrine
1:25 000
|
Purple
266 |
Purple
267 |
|
|
|
Octapressin (felypressin)
|
Blue
300 |
Blue
301
|
|
|
|
ISO standard 11499 outlines additional criteria required of single-use cartridge labels applicable to size and placement of the colored bands:
- Band 1 shall be 3.0 ± 0.5 mm wide and commence between 8 mm and 20 mm from the plunger end of the cartridge.
- Band 2 shall be 1,5 ± 0,5mm wide and commence at (2 ± 0.5) mm from the cartridge disc end of Band 1.
A detailed diagram of a single-use cartridge can be found in Figure 1.
Source: ISO standard 11499