Suboxone Lawsuit: The Dental Decay Claims and the Court's Orders in MDL No. 3092

What the Suboxone lawsuit claims

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation sent the cases to one court and described them: “These actions share complex factual questions arising from the alleged propensity of Suboxone film, which is used for the treatment of opiate addiction, to cause dental erosion and decay.” (Transfer Order (J.P.M.L.), In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 1, at 1 (N.D. Ohio filed Feb. 5, 2024))

It set out the plaintiffs' claim: “Plaintiffs in all actions allege that defendants designed Suboxone film to be acidic, which they claim leads to dental erosion and decay when the film is dissolved in the mouth” (Transfer Order (J.P.M.L.), In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 1, at 1 (N.D. Ohio filed Feb. 5, 2024)). And: “Plaintiffs allege that defendants knew, but failed to warn, that Suboxone film causes damage to teeth.” (Transfer Order (J.P.M.L.), In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 1, at 1 (N.D. Ohio filed Feb. 5, 2024))

These are claims, and the defendants contest them. As the Panel noted of the defendants who supported sending the cases to one court: “While these defendants agree with the relief sought, they dispute certain of plaintiffs’ allegations.” (Transfer Order (J.P.M.L.), In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 1, at 1 (N.D. Ohio filed Feb. 5, 2024) n.2) No document read for this page decides whether the film is the cause of any dental injury.

What the court has ruled on the Suboxone lawsuit claims

The defendants asked the court to dismiss the claims in the lead complaint. The court ruled: “For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART Defendants’ motion to dismiss.” (Opinion and Order, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 173, at 33 (N.D. Ohio Dec. 31, 2024))

And it said what goes forward: “Plaintiff may proceed on his claims for pre-approval design defect against Indivior Inc., Indivior Solutions, and Aquestive Therapeutics and for failure to warn against Indivior Inc.” (Opinion and Order, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 173, at 33 (N.D. Ohio Dec. 31, 2024)) That ruling decides which legal theories survive the pleadings; it does not decide whether any claim is proved.

The census every plaintiff must file

The court manages the cases through a census, an early filing of facts and records from each plaintiff. It orders: “Plaintiffs shall complete and serve the Census Form attached as Exhibit 1.” (Case Management Order No. 12, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 158, at 5 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 4, 2024)) And with it: “Plaintiffs will be required to upload records establishing (1) proof of use of brand-name Suboxone Film, and (2) proof of dental injury post-dating the use of Suboxone Film.” (Case Management Order No. 12, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 158, at 5 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 4, 2024))

The deadline depends on when the case was filed. For later cases the court wrote: “Plaintiffs who filed their claims after October 7, 2024, either individually or as part of a Joinder Complaint, are ordered to complete the Census Form and medical authorizations in Case Management Order No. 12 by the deadlines below:” (Case Management Order No. 20, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 520, at 1 (N.D. Ohio Oct. 8, 2025)) “For Plaintiffs who filed complaints from October 8, 2024 through September 30, 2025, the deadline will be on or before June 1, 2026.” (Case Management Order No. 20, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 520, at 1 (N.D. Ohio Oct. 8, 2025)) “For Plaintiffs who file complaints on or after October 1, 2025, the deadline will be within 60 days of the filing of their action.” (Case Management Order No. 20, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 520, at 2 (N.D. Ohio Oct. 8, 2025))

A missed census has consequences, in the court's words: “Plaintiffs who cannot substantiate injury or product identification within the applicable deadline will be dismissed with prejudice.” (Case Management Order No. 12, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 158, at 7 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 4, 2024)) “Plaintiffs who do not timely complete and serve the Census Form, authorizations, or proof of product use and injury due to transience or similar reasons will be dismissed without prejudice.” (Case Management Order No. 12, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 158, at 7 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 4, 2024))

Filing a new Suboxone lawsuit

A case can be filed directly in the MDL's court: “any Plaintiff alleging dental injuries as a result of using Suboxone film may file her or his action against Defendants directly in this District as a member case of the MDL.” (Amended Case Management Order No. 3, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 165, at 2 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 22, 2024)) It need not be: “Nothing in the Order is intended to require that a member case be directly filed into the MDL.” (Amended Case Management Order No. 3, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 165, at 2 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 22, 2024))

It opens as its own case: “Each action directly filed in this District for inclusion as a member case in this MDL must be initiated by opening a new case and paying the standard filing fee.” (Amended Case Management Order No. 3, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 165, at 2 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 22, 2024)) And the order keeps every defense open, including timing. It preserves each party's right to challenge “any party of that party’s right to challenge jurisdiction, venue, choice of law, statutes of limitation or repose, forum non conveniens , the location of trials to be held, or any other legal rights or remedies.” (Amended Case Management Order No. 3, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 165, at 4 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 22, 2024))

No document read for this page says which state's filing period applies to a Suboxone claim or when its clock starts, so this page counts no deadline. The product liability calculator on this site quotes each state's period for a product claim from its code, and a lawyer can say which applies to you.

Bellwether trials and the schedule

Bellwether trials are early trials of chosen cases, held to test the claims. The court's order of March 27, 2026 sets the steps for choosing them, and for the later dates it says: “The Court directs the parties to work on the following schedule, which it will reduce to an order at a later time:” (Second Amended Case Management Order No. 15, Ex. A, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 668-1, at 2 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 27, 2026))

On that schedule, the final four trial cases are chosen on one date: “June 11, 2027 Bellwether Trial Selection (Final 4 cases and order of cases for trial)” (Second Amended Case Management Order No. 15, Ex. A, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 668-1, at 2 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 27, 2026)) And the first trial is set for March 2028: “March 2028 First Trial Setting” (Second Amended Case Management Order No. 15, Ex. A, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 668-1, at 3 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 27, 2026))

Those later dates are, in the court's own words, a schedule it will reduce to an order later, so they can move.

The records the court asks for

The census asks for two kinds of proof: “Plaintiffs will be required to upload records establishing (1) proof of use of brand-name Suboxone Film, and (2) proof of dental injury post-dating the use of Suboxone Film.” (Case Management Order No. 12, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 158, at 5 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 4, 2024))

In practice that means pharmacy records that show which product was dispensed and when, and dental records with dates that show the injury and each treatment, such as fillings, crowns, root canals or extractions, with the bills. Keep them together, in date order.

If a provider is slow to send records, the court says: “To the extent a Plaintiff experiences difficulty securing records from a provider, the Plaintiff should promptly notify Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel to bring the issue to the Court’s attention for assistance.” (Case Management Order No. 12, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3092, No. 1:24-md-3092, ECF No. 158, at 7 (N.D. Ohio Nov. 4, 2024))

Where the federal cases are

The MDL is No. 3092, before Judge J. Philip Calabrese, master docket 1:24-md-3092. The Panel's report lists the date transferred as February 2, 2024. The court's MDL page names the judge: “Presiding Judge: J. Philip Calabrese” (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, MDL 3092 website (read Oct. 6, 2026))

The Panel's report of October 1, 2026 lists 2,022 actions now pending in it, and 2,112 in total since it began. The figures are the report's, as of its date, and this page prints them with that date.

The latest order on the court's MDL page, read for this page, is dated July 16, 2026: “7/16/2026 Case Management Order No. 23 (Provider Depositions in Core Discovery Pool)” (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, MDL 3092 website (read Oct. 6, 2026))

What this page does not say about money

No document read for this page describes a settlement, a verdict or a trial figure in this MDL, so this page states none and does not estimate one.

What the checker above does is add up the costs you can document, such as dental work, so you have one figure to bring to a lawyer. It is the sum of what you enter and nothing else.

Talking to a lawyer about a Suboxone lawsuit

This site is not a law firm, does not refer anyone to a lawyer, and cannot say what a claim would recover. The questions that decide a claim are a lawyer's: whether it was filed in time under the state's law, whether the census was served with the proof the court requires, and how the court's rulings apply to it.

Bring the pharmacy records, the dental records and bills with their dates, your record of costs, and the orders this page quotes.