System and method for fastening of two or more interacting elements

A method of securing a cervical plate to a fastener, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the cervical plate having a first surface, a second surface, and a thickness therebetween thereby establishing a lateral surface, wherein at least a portion of the lateral surface includes a thread receipt;
• providing the fastener having a distal end and a proximal end establishing a body and longitudinal axis therebetween, the body having a thread at least partially disposed around a surface of the body, wherein the thread is configured to at least partially engage the thread receipt on the cervical plate;
• initially inserting the fastener partially through a surface of a bone independently from the cervical plate;
• transversely translating the cervical plate relative to the longitudinal axis of the fastener to bring the thread receipt of the cervical plate into abutting relation with the thread of the fastener, wherein the step of initially inserting the fastener occurs prior to abutting the thread receipt of the cervical plate adjacent to the thread of the fastener;
• and
• rotating the fastener such that the thread of the fastener at least partially engages the thread receipt of the cervical plate.

A method of securing a first interacting element to a second interacting element, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first interacting element having a first surface, a second surface, and a thickness therebetween thereby establishing a lateral surface, wherein at least a portion of the lateral surface is semi-circular and includes a thread receipt;
• providing a second interacting element having a distal end and a proximal end establishing a body and longitudinal axis therebetween, the body having a first thread at least partially disposed around a first portion of a surface of the body and a second thread partially disposed around a second portion of the surface of the body, wherein the first thread is configured to at least partially engage the thread receipt on the first interacting element and the second thread is configured to at least partially be disposed through a surface of an object;
• rotatably inserting the second thread of the second interacting element at least partially through the surface of the object, wherein the second interacting element is partially inserted through the surface of the object separately from the first interacting element;
• transversely translating the first interacting element relative to the longitudinal axis of the second interacting element to bring the thread receipt of the first interacting element into abutting relation with the first thread of the second interacting element, wherein the step of rotatably inserting the second interacting element occurs prior to transversely translating the first interacting element to bring the thread receipt of the first interacting element into abutting relation with the thread of the second interacting element;
• and
• rotating the second interacting element such that the first thread of the second interacting element at least partially engages the thread receipt of the first interacting element.