Straumann

On or about April 25, 2018, I worked with a Straumann USA representative via phone to identify and order parts needed to restore a patient's implant case. I informed the representative that I did not normally restore implants from her company and required assistance identifying and ordering the correct parts. She assured me she could help. I told her I needed an impression analog, an open tray impression post (short) and the screwdriver piece that fits inside the torque wrench. I informed her I already owned the torque wrench device.

She told me that the impression analog was item # 025.4101. This was correct.
She told me that the open tray impression post (short) was item # 025.4202. This was correct.
She told me that the screwdriver piece was item #046.049. This was WRONG.

Item #046.049 is defined by the company as "torque control." By itself, it is useless. It must be assembled to another part, item #046.119, defined by the company as "ratchet."

ONLY when "torque control" and "ratchet" are assembled does one have a functional Straumann Torque Wrench with which to torque implant abutments to dental implants. But one still needs the screwdriver to complete the task. The screwdriver was never sent.

What the company sent me was one half of a torque wrench that was the wrong part, completely unuseable, and not the desired part regardless.

Ultimately, I was forced to borrow the appropriate screwdriver from a neighboring dentist in an effort to not inconvenience my patient with rescheduling the appointment.

I called Straumann and spoke with a representative, alerting her to the error. The female representative informed me that the company had just instituted a new policy that they would not accept returns after 60 days, and I was just outside of that window. I questioned the representativfe further and learned from her that this policy was apparently created after my purchase was completed. She advised me to contact my local representative for a "waiver" to the return policy. She gave me the name of *** and a phone number of (***.

I called the number, left a brief message and requested a call back. My call was never returned.

My next move was to simply move forward with returning the unused part and paying for the parts that I used, as I had an outstanding bill from Straumann USA.

I enclosed the unused "torque control" item #046.049, still in its original packaging, along with a check for the $95 balance of items kept/used. The total bill was $252, so $95 represented the amount after subtracting $157 for item #046.049.

I shipped the check and returned item #046.049 to Straumann USA. They kept the check, sent back a letter stating they would not accept the return, and then about a week later, sent back item #046.049 by separate package.

Additional statements demanding payment for item #046.049 have now been received.