Cervical plate system having an insertable rotating element

1. A cervical plate system, comprising:

a cervical plate having a top surface, an opposite bone-contacting bottom surface having a predetermined contour based on a predetermined portion of the cervical spine, a slot extending through the cervical plate, a first edge and an opposite second edge located on opposite sides across a width of the cervical plate, and a first convex curvature between the first and second edges;

a rotating element positionable within the slot of the cervical plate and rotatable relative to the cervical plate when positioned within the slot of the cervical plate, the rotating element comprising first and second spaced apart threaded holes, wherein each of the threaded holes comprises a central axis, wherein the central axes of the first and second holes extend through the slot and converge toward each other below the bottom surface of the cervical plate, and wherein the rotating element comprises a convex curvature across its width that generally matches the first convex curvature of the cervical plate; and

a first bone screw insertable into the first threaded hole of the rotating element and a second bone screw insertable into the second threaded hole of the rotating element.

2. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating element has a maximum length that is at least slightly larger than a width of the slot at the top surface of the cervical plate.

3. A cervical plate system, comprising:

a cervical plate having a top surface, an opposite bone-contacting bottom surface having a predetermined contour based on a predetermined portion of the cervical spine, and a slot extending through the cervical plate;

a rotating element positionable within the slot of the cervical plate and rotatable relative to the cervical plate when positioned within the slot of the cervical plate, the rotating element comprising first and second spaced apart threaded holes, wherein each of the threaded holes comprises a central axis, wherein the central axes of the first and second holes extend through the slot and converge toward each other below the bottom surface of the cervical plate, wherein the rotating element has a first end and an opposite second end, and wherein at least one of the first and second ends has a convex profile; and

a first bone screw insertable into the first threaded hole of the rotating element and a second bone screw insertable into the second threaded hole of the rotating element.

4. The cervical plate system of claim 3 , wherein at least one of a first end and a second end of the slot in which the rotating element is positionable comprises a concave profile to cooperatively engage with at least one of the first and second ends of the rotating element.

5. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein each bone screw is positionable so each bone screw extends beyond the bottom surface of the cervical plate and so each bone screw is in a fixed position relative to the rotatable element and is rotatable relative to the cervical plate.

6. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein the first bone screw is insertable in the first threaded hole of the rotating element, the second bone screw is insertable in the second threaded hole of the rotating element, and the first and second bone screws are fixed relative to each other and rotatable relative to the cervical plate about a first axis.

7. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second bone screws is threaded along the entire length of each bone screw.

8. The cervical plate system of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second bone screws comprises a head portion that is enlarged relative to a base portion of the screw for preventing rotation of the bone screw beyond a predetermined position.

9. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second bone screws comprises a head portion, a tip opposite the head portion, and a minor diameter that increases from the tip toward the head portion.

10. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second bone screws comprises threads having a helix that matches a helix of threads in a bone into which each of the bone screws will be threaded.

11. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , further comprising multiple slots in the cervical plate and a corresponding number of rotating elements positionable within each of the multiple slots and rotatable relative to the cervical plate when positioned within each of the multiple slots of the cervical plate.

12. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating element can rotate 360 degrees within the slot of the cervical plate when no bone screws are inserted into the first and second threaded holes.

13. The cervical plate system of claim 1 , wherein the cervical plate further comprises a first end and a second end, each of which extends between the first and second edges of the plate, and a second convex curvature between the first and second ends of the cervical plate.