System and method for stabilizing the human spine with a bone plate

A method for implanting a spinal plate, wherein the plate comprises corners and end holes located at the corners, wherein each of the end holes extends from an upper surface to a lower surface of the plate, and wherein each of the end holes comprises an inner surface having a curved contour, the method comprising:

• positioning a ring within each of the end holes, wherein the ring is sufficiently thin to reside within the end hole without extending beyond the upper surface and the lower surface of the plate, wherein each of the rings positioned in the end holes comprises:
• a plurality of deflectable portions;
• a gap to allow for expansion and contraction of the ring;
• and
• an outer surface that substantially corresponds to the curved contour of the inner surface of the end hole to allow for polyaxial rotation of the ring within the end hole;
• drilling and tapping holes into bones to which the plate is to be attached;
• positioning the plate adjacent to the bones and over the holes in the bones;
• placing bone fasteners through the rings and into the holes in the bones;
• rotating the rings to position each pair of the bone fasteners in a converging or diverging configuration;
• and
• advancing the bone fasteners into the bones until each head of the bone fasteners expands the ring within each of the end holes against the inner surface to fix the bone fastener to the ring and the ring to the plate.

A spinal plating system comprising:

• a plate having corners and end holes located at the corners, wherein each of the end holes extends from an upper surface to a lower surface of the plate, and wherein each of the end holes comprises an inner surface having a curved contour;
• at least two bone fasteners;
• at least two rings, wherein each of the at least two rings is sized to fit in one of the end holes and to receive therethrough one of the at least two bone fasteners, wherein each of the at least two rings comprises:
• a plurality of deflectable portions;
• a gap to allow for expansion and contraction of the ring;
• and
• an outer surface that substantially corresponds to the curved contour of the inner surface of the end hole to allow for polyaxial rotation of the ring within the end hole,
• wherein the at least two bone fasteners are placed in a converging or diverging configuration through the polyaxial rotation of the at least two rings;
• at least a central hole, wherein the central hole extends from the upper surface to the lower surface of the plate and wherein the central hole comprises a tapered inner surface;
• and
• at least a bone screw having a head with an outer surface corresponding to the tapered inner surface.