Low wear artificial spinal disc

An artificial spinal disc for surgical placement between first and second adjacent vertebrae of a patient's spine, comprising:

• (a) a first component for attaching to the first vertebrae, said first component including a concave recess, the concave recess having a contoured surface with a circumference of 360.degree.;
• (b) a second component for attaching to the second vertebrae, said second component including a projection that fits the concave recess of the first component, said projection having a convex contoured surface with a circumference of 360.degree.;
• (c) the corresponding contoured surfaces being configured so as to allow an unrestricted rotational and a flexion/extension bending motion between the first and second components relative to a patient's normal spinal axis when in a standing position with the spine in a straightened position, said corresponding contoured surfaces allowing for a flexion/extension angle of about between 20.degree. to 30.degree.;
• (d) wherein the first and second components are configured so as to allow the artificial spinal disc to be implanted as one unit in which openings in bone of the adjacent vertebrae are created in order to allow the artificial spinal disc to be slid into place so as to prevent over distraction.