Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuits

Our firm is currently investigating lawsuits against Invidior PLC, the manufacturer of Suboxone. The drug is meant to help people overcome opioid addiction, but has been linked to tooth decay and other severe dental injuries.

Dozens of people have already filed lawsuits seeking compensation for the cost of dental care and other damages. If you or a loved one have suffered tooth decay, tooth loss or other serious dental injuries, call Lynch Law Firm, PC to discuss a potential Suboxone tooth decay lawsuit.

Our dangerous drug lawyers do not charge upfront fees and the initial legal consultation is free of charge. When pharmaceutical companies distribute unreasonably dangerous products, and they do not adequately warn the public of the risks, they should be held accountable.

Our law firm has obtained millions on behalf of injured victims. Call today: (800)-518-0508.

Who May Be Eligible to File a Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuit?

You should review the eligibility criteria with an experienced lawyer. He or she can help you determine if you may have the right to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your damages.

However, if your situation fits the following criteria, you may be eligible to take legal action:

• You were prescribed Suboxone to treat opioid addiction or for pain management
• You took Suboxone before the manufacturer made updates to the warning label about serious tooth decay; these updates were made in June 2022
• You suffered tooth decay, cavities or other serious dental injuries while using Suboxone or after you stopped taking the medication
• You have undergone treatment for your dental issues
• You can show proof you had routine dental care before taking Suboxone, which helps to rule out the lack of dental care as a cause of your injuries
• You have documented proof of your dental issues
• You were not adequately warned about the risks of taking Suboxone
• You did not have preexisting dental issues before taking Suboxone, or you can demonstrate your dental issues worsened after taking Suboxone

Your lawyer can help you gather the evidence you will need to support your claim, such as:

• Proof of your Suboxone prescription
• Teeth X-rays
• Other records from your dentist
• Pictures of your teeth, especially before and after taking Suboxone

What Dental Injuries Could Suboxone Cause?

Suboxone strips have been connected to the following dental injuries, which has led to numerous lawsuits:

• Severe tooth decay
• Gum disease that leads to deterioration/receding of your gums
• Loss of teeth
• Increase in tooth sensitivity
• Infections in the gums or mouth
• Oral abscesses
• Unusually dry mouth, caused by a decrease in saliva production
• Ulcers or lesions in the mouth
• Loss of tooth enamel
• Broken teeth
• Erosion of tooth enamel

These injuries require expensive treatment, such as extracting damaged teeth or the use of implants or dentures. Dentists may recommend fluoride treatment or special toothpaste to help counteract the loss of tooth enamel. You may need to undergo painful operations like root canals or meet with a periodontist to address problems with your gums.

Contact Lynch Law Firm, PC to discuss a possible Suboxone tooth decay lawsuit. Phone: (800)-518-0508.

Compensation for Victims of Suboxone Sublingual Strips

If you suffered any of the injuries listed above after taking Suboxone, you may be able to file a lawsuit to recover compensation, which may include:

• Cost of dental treatment, including surgeries, installing of implants and ongoing dental care, along with the cost of dental care you have already received
• Lost wages if your dental injuries caused you to miss work
• Physical pain from your dental injuries
• Psychological/emotional consequences of your injuries, such as lost quality of life, anxiety, depression, etc.
• Other out-of-pocket costs related to your injuries

Our licensed attorneys are prepared to pursue full compensation for all damages suffered. You should not be burdened with these damages if they were caused by a negligent drug manufacturer.

Why Does Suboxone Damage Patients’ Teeth?

Suboxone (buprenorphine) is prescribed to treat patients who are addicted to oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone or other opioids. Each dose is a thin strip patients place under their tongue. As the strip dissolves, much like teeth whitening strips, patients feel like they are getting a small dose of an opioid. Over time, this may help them break their addiction to opioids.

The problem with these medicated strips is their acidity. As the strips melt, acid is released into patients’ mouths, which disrupts pH balance. Over time, the acid can wear down teeth and gums, leading to serious injuries. It takes at least 30 minutes for one strip to dissolve in your mouth, meaning your teeth are continuously exposed to acidity as the strip continues to dissolve.

Suboxone can also limit the product of saliva in your motion. Saliva is the body’s defense against acid. This means your teeth and gums become more susceptible to injury as you continue using Suboxone.

Research as far back as 2013 links Suboxone strips to severe dental injuries. Researchers studied patients at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who were taking buprenorphine to treat their opioid addiction:

• More than 90 percent of patients studied had low or moderate salivary buffering.
• Less than 50 percent of those in the general population have this issue.
• Researchers think the connection between tooth decay and salivary buffering may indicate a danger of using buprenorphine.

A research letter that came out in the Journal of the American Medical Association in late 2022 found that patients taking Suboxone strips had a much higher risk of dental problems.

Another study from 2023 showed that sublingual Suboxone users had a much higher rate of dental disorders compared to those taking the drug in pill form. Researchers analyzed reports of adverse events from the Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System.

Has the FDA Taken Any Action to Protect the Public?

The FDA has not recalled Suboxone over concerns about dental injuries. However, it did put out a drug safety communication in January 2022. The document caused the manufacturer to add a warning label to Suboxone packaging.

The FDA’s communication warned about the risk of dental injuries after taking buprenorphine in strip form. The FDA said people had reported dental problems like:

• Cavities
• Tooth decay
• Infections in the mouth
• Lost teeth
• And more

The communication advised patients not to discontinue use of the medication, but they should talk to their doctors about the risks. The document also recommended ways to reduce the risk of dental injury, such as swishing water around your mouth after the medication fully dissolves.

This warning from the FDA could be used to support a Suboxone tooth decay lawsuit, as it helps show a connection between dental injuries and use of sublingual Suboxone.

Have There Been Any Settlements or Verdicts in Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuits?

We are in the early stages of Suboxone tooth decay litigation, so there have not been any settlements. However, these lawsuits were consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in early February 2024. As of April 1, 2024, there were 44 cases in the MDL.

An MDL is a way of speeding up the legal process when there are numerous cases against one defendant involving similar allegations. The Suboxone tooth decay lawsuits claim the manufacturer did not adequately warn people about the risk of serious dental injuries.

For example, a man from Maryland filed a lawsuit after developing severe tooth decay after taking Suboxone to help with opioid addiction. A woman in Georgia filed a lawsuit claiming Suboxone caused resulted in the need for tooth extractions.

If you think you may have a valid Suboxone lawsuit, contact us today to discuss your situation.

Call Lynch Law Firm, PC to Discuss a Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuit

Tooth decay and tooth loss are more than physical injuries. They can be psychologically devastating, lowering self-esteem and quality of life.

Dental injuries also add more stress to the lives of those who are trying to recover from opioid addiction.

Suboxone manufacturers should be held liable for the economic and non-economic damages their drugs may have caused. They are legally obligated to avoid putting dangerous products on the market and properly warning patients and doctors of the risks.

Contact us today to find out if you may be eligible to file a Suboxone tooth decay lawsuit. An initial consultation with an experienced attorney is free and there are no upfront costs if you hire our firm.

Contact Lynch Law Firm, PC today to discuss legal options. Phone: (800)-518-0508.