Method for implanting an intervertebral disk prosthesis

A method of implanting an intervertebral disk prosthesis comprising a first cover plate and a second cover plate, said first and second cover plates each having a dorsal edge, a ventral edge, and lateral edges defining a perimeter of a circumferential edge, and a connection surface extending at least partially between said edges of the circumferential perimeter, said first and second cover plates, at their dorsolateral corners, are configured with a set-back portion having an inclined transition surface that adjoins that adjoins a plane of the circumferential edge having a height to a plane of the connection surface having a different height, the method comprising:

• forming a recess between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body to receive said intervertebral disk prosthesis by shaping a first vertebral body bearing surface on the first vertebral body, shaping a second vertebral body bearing surface on the second vertebral body, and sparing a bone part of at least one of the first and second vertebral bodies to leave bone material adjacent to at least one of the first and second vertebral body bearing surfaces;
• and
• implanting said intervertebral disk prosthesis into said recess such that said connection surface of said first cover plate is positioned against said first vertebral body bearing surface of said recess, said connection surface of said second cover plate is positioned against said second vertebral body bearing surface of said recess, and said set-back portion is positioned against said spared bone material remaining in said recess,
• wherein the at least one cover plate has a ratio of width to depth that ranges between 1.1:1 and 1.6:1 in a transverse plane relative to an implanted position of the prosthesis.