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Citanest Forte DENTAL

prilocaine hcl and epinephrine · Injection, Solution

Prescription ANDA TE AP Official labelling
Informational index, not medical advice. Content is reproduced from public FDA and NLM data. Always confirm against the manufacturer's current prescribing information. Report adverse events to FDA MedWatch.

Overview

Brand name
Citanest Forte DENTAL
Generic name
prilocaine hcl and epinephrine
Dosage form
Injection, Solution
Route
Submucosal
Marketing category
ANDA · ANDA
Labeler
Novocol Pharmaceutical of Canada, Inc.
Product type
Human Prescription Drug
DEA schedule
Not scheduled
Active ingredients
2
NDC product codes
2
Packages
2
Data completeness
76% of corroborating sources present

Active ingredients

Source: NDC Directory
Active ingredients and strengths as listed in the NDC Directory.
Ingredient Strength RxCUI Monograph
Epinephrine Bitartrate .005 mg/mL 1595035 View
Prilocaine Hydrochloride 40 mg/mL 1596950 —

Forms, strengths and routes

Source: NDC Directory
Dosage form
Injection, Solution
Route of administration
Submucosal
Presentations
4

Pharmacologic classes are listed in the class section below.

Pharmacologic class

Source: NDC Directory
Established pharmacologic classes (EPC), mechanisms of action (MoA), chemical structures (CS) and physiologic effects (PE).
Class Type Browse
Adrenergic alpha-Agonists [MoA] MoA All 85 members
Adrenergic beta-Agonists [MoA] MoA All 37 members
Amide Local Anesthetic [EPC] EPC All 47 members
Amides [CS] CS All 47 members
Catecholamine [EPC] EPC All 39 members
Catecholamines [CS] CS All 41 members
Local Anesthesia [PE] PE All 53 members
alpha-Adrenergic Agonist [EPC] EPC All 85 members
beta-Adrenergic Agonist [EPC] EPC All 37 members

Regulatory status

Source: Drugs@FDANDC Directory
Application number
078959
Application type
ANDA · Abbreviated New Drug Application
Approval date
August 30, 2011
Sponsor
SEPTODONT INC
Products on application
1
Submissions recorded
2
Products approved under application 078959.
Product Trade name Form Strength Ingredient Status TE Flags
078959-001 PRILOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND EPINEPHRINE BITARTRATE INJECTABLE EPINEPHRINE BITARTRATE; PRILOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE Prescription AP

Therapeutic equivalence

Source: Orange Book
TE code
AP
Reference Listed Drug
No
Reference Standard
No

What this rating means: Therapeutically equivalent — bioequivalence demonstrated (parenteral aqueous solutions)

Codes beginning with “A” indicate products the FDA considers therapeutically equivalent. Codes beginning with “B” indicate bioequivalence has not been established. See methodology.

Approval history

Source: Drugs@FDA
Most recent submissions on application 078959.
Type No. Action Status Date Review
Supplement 6 Labeling Approved November 26, 2019 Standard
Original application 1 Approved August 30, 2011 —

Prescribing information

Source: openFDA Drug Labeling

Reproduced verbatim from the Structured Product Labeling submitted to the FDA (effective 20240229). This is the manufacturer's labelling text, not a summary and not advice.

HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG · 20240229

Indications and Usage

openFDA Drug Labeling

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Citanest Forte is indicated for the production of local anesthesia in dentistry by nerve block or infiltration techniques. Only accepted procedures for these techniques as described in standard textbooks are recommended.

Dosage and Administration

openFDA Drug Labeling

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The dosage of Citanest Forte varies and depends on the physical status of the patient, the area of the oral cavity to be anesthetized, the vascularity of the oral tissues, and the technique of anesthesia. The least volume of injection that results in effective local anesthesia should be administered. For specific techniques and procedures of local anesthesia in the oral cavity, refer to standard textbooks. Inferior Alveolar Block There are no practical clinical differences between prilocaine with and without epinephrine when used for inferior alveolar blocks. Maxillary Infiltration 4% Citanest Plain (without epinephrine) is recommended for use in maxillary infiltration anesthesia for procedures in which the painful aspects can be completed within 15 minutes after the injection. 4% Citanest Plain is therefore especially suited to short procedures in the maxillary anterior teeth. For long procedures, or those involving maxillary posterior teeth where soft tissue numbness is not troublesome to the patient, Citanest Forte is recommended. For most routine procedures, initial dosages of 1 to 2 mL of Citanest Forte will usually provide adequate infiltration or major nerve block anesthesia. The maximum recommended dose that should ever be administered within a two hour period in normal healthy adults should be calculated based upon the patient's weight as follows: Weight Maximum recommended dose <150 lb (<70 kg) 4 mg/lb (8mg/kg) ≥ 150 lb (≥ 70 kg) 600 mg (15 mL) or 8 cartridges In children under 10 years of age it is rarely necessary to administer more than one-half cartridge (40 mg) of Citanest Forte per procedure to achieve local anesthesia for a procedure involving a single tooth. In maxillary infiltration, this amount will often suffice to the treatment of two or even three teeth. In the mandibular block, however, satisfactory anesthesia achieved with this amount of drug will allow treatment of the teeth in an entire quadrant. ASPIRATION PRIOR TO INJECTION IS RECOMMENDED, since it reduces the possibility of intravascular injection, thereby keeping the incidence of side effects and anesthetic failure to a minimum. NOTE: Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration whenever the solution and container permit. Solutions that are discolored and/or contain particulate matter should not be used. Any unused portion of a cartridge should be discarded. Maximum Recommended Dosages In patients weighing <150 lb (70 kg), no more than 4 mg/lb (8 mg/kg) should be administered. In patients weighing ≥150 lb, no more than 600 mg (8 cartridges) of prilocaine HCl should be administered as a single injection. Children It is difficult to recommend a maximum dose of any drug for children since this varies as a function of age and weight. For children of less than ten years who have a normal lean body mass and normal body development, the maximum dose may be determined by the application of one of the standard pediatric drug formulas (e.g., Clark's rule). For example, in a child of five years weighing 50 lb, the dose of prilocaine HCl should not exceed 150 to 200 mg (6.6 to 8.8 mg/kg or 3 to 4 mg/lb of body weight) when calculated according to Clark's rule.

Contraindications

openFDA Drug Labeling

CONTRAINDICATIONS Prilocaine is contraindicated in patients with a known history of hypersensitivity to local anesthetics of the amide type and in those rare patients with congenital or idiopathic methemoglobinemia.

WARNINGS DENTAL PRACTITIONERS WHO EMPLOY LOCAL ANESTHETIC AGENTS SHOULD BE WELL VERSED IN DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF EMERGENCIES THAT MAY ARISE FROM THEIR USE. RESUSCITATIVE EQUIPMENT, OXYGEN AND OTHER RESUSCITATIVE DRUGS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE USE. Methemoglobinemia Cases of methemoglobinemia have been reported in association with local anesthetic use. Although all patients are at risk for methemoglobinemia, patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, congenital or idiopathic methemoglobinemia, cardiac or pulmonary compromise, infants under 6 months of age, and concurrent exposure to oxidizing agents or their metabolites are more susceptible to developing clinical manifestations of the condition. If local anesthetics must be used in these patients, close monitoring for symptoms and signs of methemoglobinemia is recommended. Signs of methemoglobinemia may occur immediately or may be delayed some hours after exposure, and are characterized by a cyanotic skin discoloration and/or abnormal coloration of the blood. Methemoglobin levels may continue to rise; therefore, immediate treatment is required to avert more serious central nervous system and cardiovascular adverse effects, including seizures, coma, arrhythmias, and death. Discontinue CITANEST FORTE and any other oxidizing agents. Depending on the severity of the signs and symptoms, patients may respond to supportive care, i.e., oxygen therapy, hydration. A more severe clinical presentation may require treatment with methylene blue exchange transfusion, or hyperbaric oxygen. To minimize the likelihood of intravascular injection, aspiration should be performed before the local anesthetic solution is injected. If blood is aspirated, the needle must be repositioned until no return of blood can be elicited by aspiration. Note, however, that the absence of blood in the syringe does not assure that intravascular injection will be avoided. Citanest Forte contains sodium metabisulfite, a sulfite that may cause allergic-type reactions including anaphylactic symptoms and life-threatening or less severe asthmatic episodes in certain susceptible people. The overall prevalence of sulfite sensitivity in the general population is unknown and probably low. Sulfite sensitivity is seen more frequently in asthmatic than non-asthmatic people.

Adverse Reactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

ADVERSE REACTIONS Swelling and persistent paresthesia of the lips and oral tissues may occur. Persistent paresthesia lasting weeks to months, and in rare instances paresthesia lasting greater than one year have been reported. Adverse experiences following the administration of prilocaine are similar in nature to those observed with other amide local anesthetic agents. These adverse experiences are, in general, dose-related and may result from high plasma levels caused by excessive dosage, rapid absorption or unintentional intravascular injection, or may result from a hypersensitivity, idiosyncrasy or diminished tolerance on the part of the patient. Serious adverse experiences are generally systemic in nature. The following types are those most commonly reported: Central Nervous System CNS manifestations are excitatory and/or depressant and may be characterized by lightheadedness, nervousness, apprehension, euphoria, confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, tinnitus, blurred or double vision, vomiting, sensations of heat, cold or numbness, twitching, tremors, convulsions, unconsciousness, respiratory depression, and arrest. The excitatory manifestations may be very brief or may not occur at all, in which case the first manifestation of toxicity may be drowsiness merging into unconsciousness and respiratory arrest. Drowsiness following the administration of prilocaine is usually an early sign of a high blood level of the drug and may occur as a consequence of rapid absorption. Cardiovascular System Cardiovascular manifestations are usually depressant and are characterized by bradycardia, hypotension, and cardiovascular collapse, which may lead to cardiac arrest. Signs and symptoms of depressed cardiovascular function may commonly result from a vasovagal reaction, particularly if the patient is in an upright position. Less commonly, they may result from a direct effect of the drug. Failure to recognize the premonitory signs such as sweating, a feeling of faintness, and changes in pulse or sensorium may result in progressive cerebral hypoxia and seizure or serious cardiovascular catastrophe. Management consists of placing the patient in the recumbent position and ventilation with oxygen. Supportive treatment of circulatory depression may require the administration of intravenous fluids, and, when appropriate, a vasopressor (e.g., ephedrine) as directed by the clinical situation. Allergic Allergic reactions are characterized by cutaneous lesions, urticaria, edema or anaphylactoid reactions. Allergic reactions as a result of sensitivity to prilocaine are extremely rare and, if they occur, should be managed by conventional means. The detection of sensitivity by skin testing is of doubtful value. Neurologic The incidences of adverse reactions (e.g., persistent neurologic deficit) associated with the use of local anesthetics may be related to the technique employed, the total dose of local anesthetic administered, the particular drug used, the route of administration, and the physical condition of the patient.

Drug Interactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

Clinically Significant Drug Interactions Patients who are administered local anesthetics are at increased risk of developing methemoglobinemia when concurrently exposed to the following drugs, which could include other local anesthetics: EXAMPLES OF DRUGS ASSOCIATED WITH METHEMOGLOBINEMIA: Class Examples Nitrates/Nitrites nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide Local anesthetics articaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, procaine, ropivacaine, tetracaine Antineoplastic Agents cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea, ifosfamide, rasburicase Antibiotics dapsone, nitrofurantoin, para-aminosalicylic acid, sulfonamides Antimalarials chloroquine, primaquine Anticonvulsants phenobarbital, phenytoin, sodium valproate Other drugs acetaminophen, metoclopramide, quinine, sulfasalazine The administration of local anesthetic injections containing epinephrine or norepinephrine to patients receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants or phenothiazines may produce severe, prolonged hypotension or hypertension. Concurrent use of these agents should generally be avoided. In situations when concurrent therapy is necessary, careful patient monitoring is essential. Concurrent administration of vasopressor drugs and ergot-type oxytocic drugs may cause severe, persistent hypertension or cerebrovascular accidents.

Mechanism of Action

openFDA Drug Labeling

Mechanism of Action Prilocaine stabilizes the neuronal membrane by inhibiting the ionic fluxes required for the initiation and conduction of impulses, thereby effecting local anesthetic action.

Description

openFDA Drug Labeling

DESCRIPTION 4% Citanest ® Forte DENTAL with Epinephrine 1:200,000 (Citanest Forte), Prilocaine HCl 4% (72 mg/1.8 mL) (40 mg/mL) with Epinephrine 1:200,000 Injection, is a sterile, non-pyrogenic isotonic solution that contains a local anesthetic agent with epinephrine (as bitartrate) and is administered parenterally by injection. See INDICATIONS AND USAGE for specific uses. The quantitative composition is shown in Table 1. Citanest Forte contains prilocaine HCl, which is chemically designated as propanamide, N-(2-methyl-phenyl) -2- (propylamino)-, monohydrochloride and has the following structural formula: C 13 H 20 N 2 O ∙ HCl molecular wt = 256.77 and epinephrine, which is (-) -3, 4-Dihydroxy- ∝ -[(methylamino) methyl] benzyl alcohol and has the following structural formula: C 9 H 13 NO 3 molecular wt = 183.21 Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. The specific quantitative composition is shown in Table 1. Table 1. COMPOSITION Product Identification Formula (mg/mL) Prilocaine HCl Epinephrine (as bitartrate) Citric Acid Sodium Metabisulfite pH Note: Sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid may be used to adjust the pH of Citanest Forte. 4% Citanest ® Forte DENTAL with Epinephrine 1:200,000 (Prilocaine HCl 4% (72 mg/1.8 mL) (40 mg/mL) with Epinephrine 1:200,000 Injection) 40.0 0.005 0.2 0.5 3.3 to 5.5 Chemical Structure Chemical Structure

OVERDOSAGE Acute emergencies from local anesthetics are generally related to high plasma levels encountered during therapeutic use of local anesthetics (see ADVERSE REACTIONS , WARNINGS , and PRECAUTIONS ). Management of Local Anesthetic Emergencies The first consideration is prevention, best accomplished by careful and constant monitoring of cardiovascular and respiratory vital signs and the patient's state of consciousness after each local anesthetic injection. At the first sign of change, oxygen should be administered. The first step in the management of convulsions consists of immediate attention to the maintenance of a patent airway and assisted or controlled ventilation with oxygen and a delivery system capable of permitting immediate positive airway pressure by mask. Immediately after the institution of these ventilatory measures, the adequacy of the circulation should be evaluated, keeping in mind that drugs used to treat convulsions sometimes depress the circulation when administered intravenously. Should convulsions persist despite adequate respiratory support, and if the status of the circulation permits, small increments of an ultra-short acting barbiturate (such as thiopental or thiamylal) or a benzodiazepine (such as diazepam) may be administered intravenously. The clinician should be familiar, prior to use of local anesthetics, with these anticonvulsant drugs. Supportive treatment of circulatory depression may require administration of intravenous fluids and, when appropriate, a vasopressor as directed by the clinical situation (e.g., ephedrine). If not treated immediately, both convulsions and cardiovascular depression can result in hypoxia, acidosis, bradycardia, arrhythmias and cardiac arrest. If cardiac arrest should occur, standard cardiopulmonary resuscitative measures should be instituted. Endotracheal intubation, employing drugs and techniques familiar to the clinician, may be indicated, after initial administration of oxygen by mask, if difficulty is encountered in the maintenance of a patent airway or if prolonged ventilatory support (assisted or controlled) is indicated. Dialysis is of negligible value in the treatment of acute overdosage with prilocaine. The development of methemoglobinemia is generally dose related but may occur at any dose in susceptible individuals. While methemoglobin values of less than 20% do not generally produce any clinical symptoms, the appearance of cyanosis at 2 to 4 hours following administration should be evaluated in terms of the general health status of the patient. Methemoglobinemia can be reversed when indicated by intravenous administration of methylene blue at a dosage of 1 to 2 mg/kg given over a five minute period. The subcutaneous LD 50 of prilocaine HCl in female mice is 550 (359 to 905) mg/kg.

How Supplied / Storage and Handling

openFDA Drug Labeling

HOW SUPPLIED Citanest Forte (NDC 66312-580-16) is dispensed in 1.8 mL single-dose cartridges, packed 50 per box. Sterilization, Storage and Technical Procedures: Cartridges should not be autoclaved, because solutions of epinephrine and the closures employed in cartridges cannot withstand autoclaving temperatures and pressures. If chemical disinfection of anesthetic cartridges is desired, either 91% isopropyl alcohol or 70% ethyl alcohol is recommended. Many commercially available brands of rubbing alcohol, as well as solutions of ethyl alcohol not of U.S.P. grade, contain denaturants that are injurious to rubber and, therefore, are not to be used. It is recommended that chemical disinfection be accomplished by wiping the cartridge cap thoroughly with a pledget of cotton that has been moistened with the recommended alcohol just prior to use. IMMERSION IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Certain metallic ions (mercury, zinc, copper, etc.) have been related to swelling and edema after local anesthesia in dentistry. Therefore, chemical disinfectants containing or releasing those ions are not recommended. Antirust tablets usually contain metal ions. Accordingly, aluminum sealed cartridges should not be kept in such solutions. Quaternary ammonium salts, such as benzalkonium chloride, are electrolytically incompatible with aluminum. Cartridges are sealed with aluminum caps and therefore should not be immersed in any solution containing these salts. To avoid leakage of solutions during injection, be sure to penetrate the center of the rubber diaphragm when loading the syringe. An off-center penetration produces an oval shaped puncture that allows leakage around the needle. Other causes of leakage and breakage include badly worn syringes, aspirating syringes with bent harpoons, the use of syringes not designed to take 1.8 mL cartridges, and inadvertent freezing. Cracking of glass cartridges is most often the result of an attempt to use a cartridge with an extruded plunger. An extruded plunger loses its lubrication and can be forced back into the cartridge only with difficulty. Cartridges with extruded plungers should be discarded. Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F); excursions permitted between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Solutions containing epinephrine should be protected from light.

Adverse event reports

Source: openFDA FAERS
56,476
FAERS reports mentioning this drug
as of 2026-09-25T03:42:24+00:00
A report count is not a risk measure. FAERS accepts voluntary and mandatory reports without establishing causation, and reporting is influenced by how widely a drug is used, how long it has been marketed, and media attention. FDA states that reports “do not prove that the drug caused the event”. Compare rates, not totals.

Attributed to this product's most-reported active ingredient: EPINEPHRINE BITARTRATE. Combination products with more than six active ingredients are not attributed, because a report count summed across a long ingredient list measures the list, not the medicine.

Packaging and NDCs

Source: NDC Directory
Every National Drug Code package associated with this medication. The NDC is the identifier used for dispensing, billing and pharmacovigilance in the United States.
Package NDC Product NDC Labeler Description Marketing start
66312-580-16 66312-580 Dentsply Pharmaceutical Inc. 50 CARTRIDGE in 1 CARTON (66312-580-16) / 1.8 mL in 1 CARTRIDGE December 4, 2017
51004-5801-6 51004-5801 Novocol Pharmaceutical of Canada, Inc. 50 CARTRIDGE in 1 CARTON (51004-5801-6) / 1.8 mL in 1 CARTRIDGE December 4, 2017
66312-580 66312-580 Dentsply Pharmaceutical Inc. — December 4, 2017
51004-5801 51004-5801 Novocol Pharmaceutical of Canada, Inc. — December 4, 2017

Sources for this page

Every dataset that contributed a fact to this page.
Dataset Agency Used for
NDC Directory FDA Identity, ingredients, strengths, forms, routes, labelers, packages
Drugs@FDA FDA Application, sponsor, submissions, review documents, marketing status
Orange Book FDA Therapeutic equivalence codes, reference drug flags, patents, exclusivity
Drug Labeling FDA / NLM Prescribing information reproduced above
FAERS FDA Adverse event report counts

Generated September 25, 2026 · 11 sections on this page.