Anterior vertebral plate with taper lock screw

1 . A novel bone plate system, comprising:

A plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, said plate defining at least two bone screw holes, said bone screw holes having tapered inner surfaces with said taper decreasing from said upper surface to said lower surface of said plate,

a taper lock screw assembly for each of said at least two bone screw holes, said taper lock screw assembly comprising a threaded bone screw having a head portion, the surface of at least a side portion of said head portion being curvate or convex shaped and a threaded portion suitable for threaded entry into bone,

said taper lock screw assembly also comprising a tapered locking ring having an external tapered surface corresponding to said taper surface of said bone screw holes and a concave inner lumen complimentary in size and shape to the convex portion of said screw head, such that said screw head can be rotatably fitted within said lumen of said tapered locking ring, said tapered locking ring being provided with a relief slot passing through the entirety of the wall of said tapered locking ring,

wherein said bone screw head can be locked into position relative to said plate by compressive forces against said tapered locking ring when said taper lock screw assembly is fully seated within said bone screw hole.

2 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said bone screw is capable of polyaxial alignment with said bone screw hole.

3 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said device is an anterior vertebral body plate.

4 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said bone screw and said tapered locking ring are preassembled to provide said taper lock screw assembly prior to use in a surgical procedure.

5 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said plate is configured to have an upper and lower curved surface, said curve being along the longitudinal axis of the plate.

6 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said plate is configured to have an upper and lower curved surface, said curve being along the transverse axis of the plate.

7 . The bone plate system of claim 5 , wherein said curve is also along the transverse axis of the plate.

8 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , having a low profile such that no features of said device extend above the level of the upper surface of said plate.

9 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said bone screw head and said tapered locking ring are capable initially of rotational interaction such that said bone screw when fully seated and locked into position within said plate is capable of being polyaxial relative to said bone screw hole.

10 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said taper of said bone screw hole and said corresponding taper of said taper lock screw assembly is a Morse type taper.

11 . The bone plate system of claim 4 , wherein said preassembly of said taper lock screw assembly is a snap fit assembly wherein said relief slot in said tapered locking ring is capable of facilitating said snap fit assembly.

12 . The bone plate system of claim 1 , wherein said relief slot in said tapered locking ring is capable of facilitating transfer of said compressive forces of said tapered locking ring against said bone screw head so as to lock said bone screw head into position relative to said plate.

13 . A method of stabilizing a vertebral body, the method comprising,

providing a bone plate system according to claim 1 ,

surgically accessing an anterior surface of a vertebral body in need of stabilization,

positioning said bone plate and attaching same to said vertebral body using said taper lock screw assemblies.

14 . A kit comprising at least one system according to claim 1 and at least one other tool or instrument for use in orthopedic surgery.