Buprenorphine Tooth Decay Lawsuit

Lawsuits are being filed by people who suffered tooth decay, cavities, or tooth injuries from under-the-tongue buprenorphine medications like Suboxone, Zubsolv, and Belbuca.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting buprenorphine induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with tooth decay from buprenorphine, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

FDA Warning for Dental Problems With Buprenorphine

In January 2022, the FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication to warn about the risk of dental problems with buprenorphine medicines that are dissolved in the mouth to treat opioid addiction and pain.

“The dental problems, including tooth decay, cavities, oral infections, and loss of teeth, can be serious and have been reported even in patients with no history of dental issues.”

What is the Problem?

Buprenorphine and naloxone are naturally acidic medications. Patients are instructed to hold the tablet under their tongue for 5 to 10 minutes to maximize absorption, which might lead to tooth damage, according to a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

What is the Risk?

Tooth decay
Cavities
Oral infections
Loss of teeth
Need for oral surgery
Pain
Disfigurement
Root canal
Crown replacement
Cracked and broken teeth
Loss of enamel
And more

Buprenorphine Lawsuits for Tooth Decay, Cavities, Teeth Damage

Lawsuits have been filed by people who suffered tooth decay, cavities, and other dental problems after using buprenorphine medications that dissolve in the mouth. These lawsuits accuse drug-manufacturers of failing to warn users about the risk of tooth decay from buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine Lawsuits Consolidated into MDL

In February 2024, dozens of Suboxone tooth decay lawsuits were consolidated into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) in the Northern District of Ohio.

The MDL is IN RE: Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation — Case Number 1:24-md-03092.

What is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine is a medication that is approved to treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). It is an opioid partial-agonist, which means that it produces effects that are similar to opioids, but much weaker than full opioids like heroin.

The effects of buprenorphine also level off, even with higher doses, giving it a “ceiling effect” that reduces the risk of abuse or overdose. Buprenorphine can reduce cravings for opioids and lessen withdrawal symptoms, making it a powerful tool to fight addiction.

Types of Oral Buprenorphine Medications

There are several brands of buprenorphine medications, some of which also contain naloxone (an opioid antidote). The under-the-tongue versions include:

Belbuca (buprenorphine) — buccal film
Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) — sublingual film
Zubsolv (buprenorphine and naloxone) — sublingual tablet

Can I Join a Buprenorphine Tooth Decay Class Action Lawsuit?

Lawsuits are being filed by people who were injured by buprenorphine, but not as a class action. Instead, they are individual lawsuits that are being centralized into a single court, under one judge. This Multi-District Litigation (MDL) is pending in Ohio.

Do I have a Buprenorphine Tooth Decay Lawsuit?

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