The effect of storage temperature on the resistance to failure of dental local anesthetic cartridges.

This in vitro investigation studied the effect of storing dental local anesthetic cartridges at room temperature and at 37 degrees C on the forces required for cartridge failure under strong injection pressures. Storage for three hours at the higher temperature resulted in a significant reduction in the forces required to produce failure of plastic cartridges (leakage of solution around the bung). The forces needed to cause failure of glass cartridges did not differ between the two temperatures.