A "reassuring" letter from Straumann

[DMC]

SteinBichler Intra-oral scanner is coming. (Makers of the Lava Scan ST and previous Lava scanners)

This One will provide the absolute best scan data by far!

It contains FOUR CAMERAS AND THREE PROJECTORS in the scan head!!!

Live video streaming for continious data acquisition, as opposed to point and click.

http://blog.steinbichler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/6_DigImprint_Pressemitteilung2_V3_2_en.pdf

This is the unit I am betting on....

3M will not be a part of this project. (This time...)

Scotty

 

[Brett Hansen CDT]

Gru nails it. The Straumann rep in my area has gone out of his way to bad mouth my lab because I don't use the scanner they sold me to make all my Straumann custom abutments. I choose to use Atlantis because it is a better product. My job is to provide my doctor's and their patients with the best restorative solution. Atlantis is almost always the better choice. This isn't about one cola tasting better than another and your personal preference being the deciding factor on which product you choose to buy.

 

[eshoger]

Was there more than one page to this letter? Is it possible to get a scan of the other pages if there are any?

 

[CatamountRob]

Was there more than one page to this letter? Is it possible to get a scan of the other pages if there are any?

It was a one page, two sided letter, but the back side didn't say much. This is from the back side:

"Simply stated, we are committed to work with you as partners in whatever way is necessary to ensure that, when it comes to the restoration of Straumann implants, we are your partner of choice.

Please contact me or your local territory manager if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Steve Sheehan
Vice President, Lab Division"

 

[Gru]

SteinBichler Intra-oral scanner is coming. (Makers of the Lava Scan ST and previous Lava scanners)

This One will provide the absolute best scan data by far!

It contains FOUR CAMERAS AND THREE PROJECTORS in the scan head!!!

Live video streaming for continious data acquisition, as opposed to point and click.

http://blog.steinbichler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/6_DigImprint_Pressemitteilung2_V3_2_en.pdf

This is the unit I am betting on....

3M will not be a part of this project. (This time...)

Scotty

Will you be selling this unit, Scott?

eshoger: pg2 is a sign off paragraph restating their commitment to working as partners on Straumann implants. (Note paragraph 6 point 2 where they offer "scan & shape service"

 

[BobCDT]

Gru nails it. The Straumann rep in my area has gone out of his way to bad mouth my lab because I don't use the scanner they sold me to make all my Straumann custom abutments. I choose to use Atlantis because it is a better product. My job is to provide my doctor's and their patients with the best restorative solution. Atlantis is almost always the better choice. This isn't about one cola tasting better than another and your personal preference being the deciding factor on which product you choose to buy.

Bret,
If you want to upgrade to a 3Shape scanner we are offering $5000 for a trade in. You will no longer be locked into your competition.
B

 

[rkm rdt]

Well over at the inlab study club,our buddy MJ says we had it coming.

Thanks Mark....dam you mad scientists!

 

[Alistar]

Alistar,
I so often agree with you, but I'm not sure we are overboard on this.

I would submit that competition is good for the consumer (in this case the dentist/patient) and "streamlining" and consolidating is not. See Wal-Mart. In the short term the prices are very attractive. Then the competition of smaller businesses die. Next the "low" prices climb. Then the only major game in town starts dictating to suppliers, carriers, "associates", partners and clients how they are going to do business. Fine. If we want to put more plastic trash in our over-stuffed homes, whatever.
But this is health care. We make human body replacement parts. The future seems to be an IO scan, automatically computer designed, milled by a mega-corp, with the only humans touching it the dentist and final recipient. I hope the dentist is excellent and ethical, because the patient won't find out until there's a problem.

Oh, and we have a rep???:noidea:
Forgot, since I haven't heard anything from them since I bought my scanner.

Fool me once (es1),shame on you. Fool me twice (cs2) shame on me. :frusty:

Gru, it's a shame that your rep is a deadbeat. I really can't say a enough good things about our rep, so I guess we'll just count it as a blessing we have such a good one.

I see your point on the consolidation, and I think we would agree this business is very relational and teamwork orientate? Especially on implant cases. I would just make sure to keep the communication lines open with your gps and surgeons and you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Unless....some start of race to the bottom price war starts.

 

[Alistar]

Gru nails it. The Straumann rep in my area has gone out of his way to bad mouth my lab because I don't use the scanner they sold me to make all my Straumann custom abutments. I choose to use Atlantis because it is a better product. My job is to provide my doctor's and their patients with the best restorative solution. Atlantis is almost always the better choice. This isn't about one cola tasting better than another and your personal preference being the deciding factor on which product you choose to buy.

How is Atlantis better? They cost more, you don't get the strong "original" connection, they take 5x as long to get, and not to mention it's Dentsply...who I don't do business with for the same principled reason everyone is getting pissed at Straumann. They undercut and outsource. Only difference is Straumann hasn't actually done it yet?...

Not to mention Dentsply products are always just plain "cheap crap".

 

[Adigitalsmile]

I dont see how you think they take 5x longer. I order a custom abutment from Atlantis scanning on my 3 shape its back in 2 days. If its titanium its even quicker. Designs are better quality with having the full design features to the user.

 

[martintay]

Alistar,
I so often agree with you, but I'm not sure we are overboard on this.

I would submit that competition is good for the consumer (in this case the dentist/patient) and "streamlining" and consolidating is not. See Wal-Mart. In the short term the prices are very attractive. Then the competition of smaller businesses die. Next the "low" prices climb. Then the only major game in town starts dictating to suppliers, carriers, "associates", partners and clients how they are going to do business. Fine. If we want to put more plastic trash in our over-stuffed homes, whatever.
But this is health care. We make human body replacement parts. The future seems to be an IO scan, automatically computer designed, milled by a mega-corp, with the only humans touching it the dentist and final recipient. I hope the dentist is excellent and ethical, because the patient won't find out until there's a problem.

Oh, and we have a rep???:noidea:
Forgot, since I haven't heard anything from them since I bought my scanner.

Fool me once (es1),shame on you. Fool me twice (cs2) shame on me. :frusty:

Shame on me with es1 but not cs2 , i said no thankyou !!!

 

[rkm rdt]

I thought this was interesting:

Strawman: A straw man, also known in the UK as an Aunt Sally,[1][2] is a type of argument and is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position.[3] To "attack a straw man" is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by replacing it with a superficially similar yet unequivalent proposition (the "straw man"),and to refute it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.

 

[rkm rdt]

Basel, Switzerland – 26 November 2012: Straumann Holding AG has been informed by two of its existing shareholders about a transaction involving a 10% block of registered shares. Dr h.c. Thomas Straumann, who is the major shareholder and Vice Chairman of the Board, has sold the shares to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Pte. Ltd. (GIC),bringing the two parties’ respective stakes to 17% and 14% of the total share capital of Straumann Holding AG.

Thomas Straumann commented: “The prevailing weak economic environment has made it necessary to reallocate funds in order to support and meet my investment commitments in other areas. My belief in the long-term future of Straumann is undiminished, and I have every confidence in its business fundamentals, people, and strategy. Straumann remains my core investment, and I fully intend to continue contributing to its direction as a principal shareholder for the long-term.”

In addition, Dr Straumann has agreed to a one-year lock-up period, during which he will not reduce his stake.

GIC has also expressed its long-term shareholder interest in the company. GIC was established in 1981 and is one of the world’s leading sovereign wealth funds. Its aim is to achieve good long-term returns for its owner, the Government of Singapore.

 

[Brett Hansen CDT]

How is Atlantis better? They cost more, you don't get the strong "original" connection, they take 5x as long to get, and not to mention it's Dentsply...who I don't do business with for the same principled reason everyone is getting pissed at Straumann. They undercut and outsource. Only difference is Straumann hasn't actually done it yet?...

Not to mention Dentsply products are always just plain "cheap crap".

As Adigitalsmile already stated, I scan my cases for Atlantis so I get them back in 2 days. It actually takes longer to get my cases back from Straumann. There are studies both sides can point to about who's connection is "stronger." Both are FDA approved products so I am protected on that front. I don't mind paying a bit more for a product that is superior. The biggest flaw with Straumann's milled abutments is that they are unable to get their margins as close to the interface with the implant as Atlantis. This is a huge deal because many times the surgeons aren't able and just don't place the implants deep enough sub-gingivally. Straumann's solution to this problem is for me to fuse porcelain to their abutment once it comes back and mill in the margin myself. I don't think I need to go on about how many things are wrong with this solution.

I have had no problems with Atlantis since Dentsply bought them from Astratech. I got superior service and abutments before and nothing has changed. The only product I have ever purchased from Dentsply are Atlantis abutments, so I wouldn't know about their "cheap crap" products.

I am glad you have a good relationship with Straumann in your area. I wish it was the same here. We invested in the ES1. Once I saw what Atlantis could do, I stopped using it except for cases where I have to.

Bob, I would love to take you up on your offer. Right now we have a DWOS and I know the 3 Shape is much better. Unfortunately, we don't have the cash to switch right now. I really appreciate the offer and the posts you make on this forum.

 

[BobCDT]

Obviously its very disappointing that another "partner" has decided to sidestep our involvement and try and spin their plans, then try and milk us for a little while longer.

Anyone that continues to buy their products in my opinion is a fool. My opinion matters to my account base, as well as many of you to yours. I suggest you take the time to educate your clients on their vast choices of implant fixtures out in the market. Remember its their choice which surgeon they send their referrals to and which surgeons preference on the type of fixture can be dictated.

I will now go out of my way to say nothing positive about Straumann. I do not need them, 3rd party parts and cad cam via nobel is way more cost effective and advantageous to me and "MY PARTNERS"

The realization that we are really not part of this glorious TEAM APPROACH to dentistry that many of these tier one implant companies have been touting for years just leaves a very nasty bitter taste in my mouth!

Hey John,
Gret post! I really could not have said this any better. John's plan is one we should all embrace. Our accounts use us not only for our products. They definitely use us for technical advise. This is especially true when it comes to restoring implants.
We have been working on a protocol for manufacturing full arch (and quadrants) screw retained zirconia restorations. We have not launched the product yet. Will do so early next year. The product imcludes the use FDA approved after market parts with Strauman interfaces included. This solution will be the most cost effective protocol for fixed full arches and quadrant implant supported ceramic restorations.
Just thinking, if I remove the Strauman components form the product line it could be a viable reason for restorative docs to request a change in the implant used from there surgeons.
I think we need to keep this thread alive. Continue to communicate all positive thoughts. As a group I'm sure we can embrace several concepts that will change the landscape of leaders in the implant market.

 

[rkm rdt]

The negative publicity is worldwide.

 

[BobCDT]

Yes,
I have also started to posting on LinkedIn.

 

[BobCDT]

It would be great to get someone from Strauman to add to this thread. Perhaps the individual that wrote the letter. Maybe he can explain to us why he has decided to disengage form and compete with Strauman "lab partners". They are most likely projecting increased sales by cutting out labs. I guess we already know. it's all about the money!
Strauman, we welcome your comments.

 

[CatamountRob]

It would be great to get someone from Strauman to add to this thread. Perhaps the individual that wrote the letter. Maybe he can explain to us why he has decided to disengage form and compete with Strauman "lab partners". They are most likely projecting increased sales by cutting out labs. I guess we already know. it's all about the money!
Strauman, we welcome your comments.

Yeah.......I don't think so Bob....

 

[rkm rdt]

My letter is auto signed by Alain Laroche Straumann Canada.It is an exact copy of the US letter.