Re: What exactly is a "custom abutment" for an implant crown...
On Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:36:14 GMT, Mark & Steven Bornfeld
<bornfeldmung@dentaltwins.com> wrote:
>> Comments? Opinions?
>
>
> "I've done custom abutments where the lab fee is over $600. There
>should be some profit margin, but ordinarily I don't think it needs to
>be much, as it's basically nuts and bolts. But the materials charges
>are high, and the tools required are expensive.
> You are asking a question that really is contract law. I'm guessing
>that you must have signed some kind of consent or contract. If so, the
>fee estimate should be spelled out (with reasonable provisions for
>unanticipated changes). IMO the need for abutments should be explained
>to the patient, but in my experience some patients remember, and some
>don't. I have no idea about the legal issues, so I can't help you there.
>
>Steve"
Thanks for your feedback.
It's kind of weird, (almost "flaky" in fact!) but I am almost 100%
certain that even with $12k or surgeries and crowns etc., I never
signed *anything* other than this treatment plan and the treatment
plan is not a "contract" per se (i.e.; no long winded legalese) just a
statement of needing these procedures and the cost with signatures by
me, the student and the prof. If I did sign something it was in the
very beginning, that I had to sign to get admitted to the program. But
never signed anything but this treatment plan after that. In fact I
have every piece of paper they've given me in a notebook and there is
nothing else.
And I am 100% certain that the need for Custom Abutments was never
explained, in fact I was shocked to see them on the bill and thought
they were a mistake.
Now, I find it interesting that the student dentist wrote me back and
said " I'm not sure why your original treatment plan did not include
the custom abutments, it might have been that at the time of your
original treatment plan the University did not charge for abutments."
I find it interesting because it seems to me that it should have been
HER (or at least her professor) who should have told me if there was
any change to my treatment plan, as per custom abutments. But it seems
they just did what they wanted with no concern for cost to me or my
consent.
Also there is this:
I just finished my last 2 crowns (a 2 crown bridge) with the same
school, though a different dept., and they did NOT use custom
abutments and when I asked the prof there about why these custom
abutments might have been used, he said "I have no idea why" as if it
was not standard policy.
I guess I cannot prove they never told me about the change, but then
again, they cannot prove they did (because they did not).
So at the very least we should work out a compromise in which I get
some of the money taken off my bill, I think. Otherwise I guess I'll
take it to Small Claims court.
Richard
