Systems and methods for altering the surface of a bone

A method, comprising:

• receiving an image of a surface of a bone, the image identifying a surface characteristic comprising one or more of a contour, a slope, and a landmark on the bone;
• identifying a region of the bone surface to be removed from the bone;
• determining a desired configuration of the bone surface, the desired configuration including at least one contour;
• and
• generating a cutting guide based at least in part upon the image, wherein the cutting guide has a channel, an upper surface having a contoured configuration, and an interior surface with a plurality of surface features, each surface feature corresponding to a surface characteristic on the image, the contoured configuration corresponding to the desired configuration of the bone surface;
• and
• wherein the cutting guide is structured such that when the cutting guide is applied to the bone and the surface features are aligned with the corresponding surface characteristics, the channel sits above and extends substantially to the region to be removed, and the channel is operable to receive a cutting tool such that the cutting tool contacts the region.

A method of resecting a bone, comprising:

• obtaining a cutting guide having a bone contacting inner surface and an upper surface with a contoured configuration, wherein the inner surface has one or more features configured to match a corresponding surface characteristic existing on the bone prior to cutting the bone, and wherein the contoured configuration corresponds to a desired bone surface configuration;
• applying the cutting guide to the bone surface and matching each of the one or more features to the corresponding surface characteristic;
• extending a cutting tool within the cutting guide along the contoured upper surface to cut the impinged bone surface according to the desired bone surface configuration;
• passing the cutting tool within a channel of the guide;
• and
• moving the cutting tool vertically within the channel along a slope of the upper surface.