Articaine Dosage — ORE Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: D — 7 mg/kg
Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · A = shown as D · D = shown as E
The maximum dose of articaine with 1:100,000 adrenaline (epinephrine) for a healthy adult is 7 mg/kg body weight, up to an absolute maximum of approximately 500 mg per appointment. This is based on pharmacokinetic data and international clinical trial protocols for this anaesthetic formulation. Option B (4 mg/kg) represents an excessively conservative dose below the standard recommendation. Options C (3 mg/kg) and E (10 mg/kg) are both incorrect—3 mg/kg is the maximum dose of lignocaine (a different agent with lower potency), and 10 mg/kg exceeds the established safe limit for articaine. Option D (5 mg/kg) is the lower limit recommended specifically for children, not the adult maximum.
Reference: Studies on the toxicological profile of the local anaesthetic articaine. PubMed 10083981. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10083981/; Clinical trial protocol NCT04166890 specifying 7 mg/kg as maximum permitted dose for articaine 1:100,000 epinephrine in dental anaesthesia.