Legacy
Legacy is Implant Direct's core system and now in its third generation. Marketed on more than 19 years of clinical use, it is the line most likely to be proposed, and most likely to be already in your jaw if you have an Implant Direct implant.
At a glance
- Connection
- Internal hex
- Generations
- Legacy1, Legacy2 and Legacy3
- Surface
- SBM, sandblasted media texture
- Body
- Tapered
- Marketed history
- More than 19 years of clinical use
- Positioning
- Soft-bone stability and broad application
Three generations, one name
Legacy exists as Legacy1, Legacy2 and Legacy3. They are not identical, Implant Direct's documentation notes, for example, that SBM texture applies to Legacy2 specifically in certain configurations. If you have an existing Legacy implant, knowing which generation matters when components are ordered.
“I have a Legacy implant” is not enough information for a dentist to order a part with confidence. Ask for the generation number and the reference code, and keep them. This applies to every system on this site, but it applies with particular force where a product name has spanned three generations over nearly two decades.
What internal hex means
A six-sided post seats into a matching socket inside the implant; the hex prevents rotation and a screw holds it down. It is the most widely used connection design in implant dentistry, with decades of history behind it. Newer systems increasingly favour conical connections for their sealing and load distribution, but a well-made internal hex is a proven design and its ubiquity means components are widely available.
The value proposition, examined
Part of Implant Direct's proposition is that its connections match those of established systems. In practice mixing usually works, but “compatible” is a manufacturer's word, not a regulatory one, tolerances, alloys and screw mechanics can differ. The useful question is not “is it compatible?” but “which specific components will you use, and are they the manufacturer's own?” Mixing parts across makers can also complicate warranty claims.
Patients often assume a value-tier implant means a proportionally cheaper treatment. It rarely does. The fixture is typically a modest share of the total, surgery, abutment, crown, imaging and any grafting make up most of the bill. Moving from a premium to a value implant may reduce your total by a useful but not transformative amount. If a quote is dramatically lower than others, the implant brand is unlikely to be the whole explanation.
Questions worth asking your dentist
- Which Legacy generation are you placing, Legacy1, 2 or 3?
- Will every component be Implant Direct's own, or mixed with another brand's?
- What exactly does choosing this over a premium system save me in total?
- Is there anything about my case that would justify a premium system?
- How many Legacy cases have you placed?
- Will you record the generation, connection, platform and reference number in writing?
Related systems
InterActive
The conical-connection system for immediate and aesthetic cases.
Simply Iconic
Implant Direct's newer system.
References
- Implant Direct. Legacy Product Catalog. Manufacturer catalogue.
- Implant Direct. Legacy Implant System. Implant Direct Canada, implantdirect.com/en-ca.
- Implant Direct. Canadian product literature. Document LIT-0080-CAN rev 03.
Specifications compiled from Implant Direct's publicly available product literature and Canadian product pages. Manufacturer performance claims are identified as such. DentalImplantInfo.ca is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Implant Direct. Implant Direct, Legacy, InterActive, Simply Iconic, DIRECTguide and SBM are trademarks of their respective owners, used here for identification and educational purposes.