Interbody implants and instrumentation

An intervertebral implant comprising:

• a body with a plurality of openings therein, each of the plurality of openings being accessible from a single side of the body;
• a fastener disposed in a first opening of the plurality of openings;
• and
• a locking element disposed in a second opening of the plurality of openings comprising:
• a head;
• a flexible base abutting the head;
• and
• a shaft extending from the flexible base,
• wherein the flexible base and the shaft extend along a longitudinal axis,
• wherein the flexible base is movable from a first position to a second position such that in the first position the flexible base is secured to the body and has a first perimeter and in between the first position and the second position, a portion of the flexible base is deformed so that the flexible base has a second perimeter smaller than the first perimeter, the first perimeter and the second perimeter measured at the same axial location on the flexible base, and
• wherein the locking element is movable between a first orientation relative to the body that blocks the first opening and a second orientation relative to the body that does not block the first opening.

An intervertebral implant comprising:

• a body with a plurality of openings therein, each of the plurality of openings being accessible from a first side of the body, the first side having a first recessed surface and a second recessed surface;
• a fastener disposed in a first opening of the plurality of openings;
• and
• a locking element disposed in a second opening of the plurality of openings, the second opening being located entirely within the second recessed surface, the locking element comprising:
• a head;
• a flexible base abutting the head, the flexible base including a first part and a second part separated from the first part by a third opening, the first part extending to a free end and having a protrusion, and the second part having a ridge;
• and
• a shaft extending from the flexible base, the shaft and the flexible base extending along a longitudinal axis,
• wherein the flexible base is movable from a first position to a second position such that in the first position, the protrusion is engaged with a groove defined by a boundary between the first recessed surface and the second recessed surface and the ridge abuts a radially oriented edge of the second recessed surface and in the second position, the first part of the flexible base is compressed from a neutral position and is outside of the groove, and
• wherein the locking element is movable between a first orientation relative to the body that blocks the first opening and a second orientation relative to the body that does not block the first opening.