The Suboxone tooth-decay litigation is moving into court-ordered test-case discovery that leads toward early bellwether trials. For people considering a claim, that means no settlement or payout now, but a clearer read on case strength is coming.
The cases focus on Suboxone sublingual film, a prescription medicine for opioid-use disorder that dissolves under the tongue or inside the cheek. Plaintiffs say prolonged contact with the dissolving film harmed teeth and led to cavities, erosion, fractures and tooth loss. Federal cases are proceeding together while the court tests a small group of cases first.
Official resources:
- Read the official guidance from FDA — Use this primary source to verify the official guidance.
- Read the official notice from Aboutlawsuits — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- What the dental-injury claims allege
- Where the federal cases stand
- How bellwether testing moves toward trial
- What to do if you used the film
What the dental-injury claims allege
Plaintiffs allege the film bathes teeth in an acidic environment as it dissolves. They say repeated exposure weakens enamel and causes cavities, erosion, broken teeth and tooth loss. They also allege the makers did not provide an adequate dental warning.
On Jan. 12, 2022, the FDA warned that buprenorphine medicines dissolved in the mouth can cause serious tooth decay and loss. The agency also cited cavities and oral infections, even without prior dental problems. The agency then required a new dental warning in prescribing information and Medication Guides, according to the FDA warning on dissolved buprenorphine medicines.
Where the federal cases stand
Federal dental-injury cases were centralized in February 2024 in In re Suboxone Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092. The cases sit in the Northern District of Ohio before Judge J. Philip Calabrese.
As of Oct. 1, 2026, 2,022 lawsuits were pending, up 195 from September, with more claimants than cases because some suits include multiple plaintiffs, according to the October case-count report from Lawyers and Settlements. Centralization groups pretrial work for efficiency. Each lawsuit remains an individual claim for injury and damages. The court can therefore test common evidence once without merging every claim into one class payout.
How bellwether testing moves toward trial
The court is working through a 50-case Core Discovery Pool with dental records, pharmacy histories and depositions through Jan. 15, 2027. It will select a 15-case Trial Pool on Jan.
29, 2027 for narrowing to four bellwether trials. There is no global settlement or payout date yet, and bellwether verdicts test evidence and damages without automatically deciding other cases, though strong results can pressure settlement talks, according to the updated case timeline from Miller & Zois. The first bellwether trial is tentatively projected for March 2028, with no firm trial date set. The schedule follows the March 27, 2026 case-management order on records and trial selection, according to the trial-preparation update from AboutLawsuits.com.
What to do if you used the film
Do not stop a prescribed opioid-use-disorder medicine on your own. Talk with your prescriber about dental symptoms and preventive care. For a possible legal claim, organization matters more than speed right now.
- List Suboxone film use dates, doses, pharmacies and prescribers
- Gather dental exams, X-rays, treatment plans, bills and tooth-loss records
- Save pharmacy printouts showing fills before and after dental damage
- Write a short timeline linking film use, symptoms and treatment
- Bring those records to a case review with a products-liability attorney