A bone fixation system, comprising: a substantially rigid plate having a bone contacting surface and defining a set of screw holes (134, 138) with internal threads, with said internal threads of said screw holes (134, 138) defining respective screw hole axes; a set of a first-type of locking screw, each respective first-type of locking screws having a head with an external thread that self-taps into the internal thread of a given locking screw hole (134, 138) at an oblique angle relative to said respective screw hole axis to secure said first-type of locking screws to said plate; and a set of second-type of fixation locking screw (106, 108), each respective second type of fixation locking screw having a head with an external thread that is adapted to threadably engage the internal thread of a given screw hole (134, 138) to secure the respective second-type of fixation locking screw (106, 108) at a fixed angle relative to said plate in alignment with the respective screw hole axis; wherein said plate is made of a first metal having a first hardness, said first-type of locking screws are made of a different second metal having a second hardness substantially harder than said first hardness, and said second-type of fixation locking screws (106, 108) are made of said first metal; wherein said first-type of locking screws each include a shaft, a portion of said shaft spaced apart from said head and an opposite end of said screw is reduced in diameter; and wherein the reduced diameter portion of said first-type of locking screws is selected such that said first-type of locking screws are not less flexible than said second-type locking screws (106, 108). a substantially rigid plate having a bone contacting surface and defining a set of screw holes (134, 138) with internal threads, with said internal threads of said screw holes (134, 138) defining respective screw hole axes; a set of a first-type of locking screw, each respective first-type of locking screws having a head with an external thread that self-taps into the internal thread of a given locking screw hole (134, 138) at an oblique angle relative to said respective screw hole axis to secure said first-type of locking screws to said plate; and a set of second-type of fixation locking screw (106, 108), each respective second type of fixation locking screw having a head with an external thread that is adapted to threadably engage the internal thread of a given screw hole (134, 138) to secure the respective second-type of fixation locking screw (106, 108) at a fixed angle relative to said plate in alignment with the respective screw hole axis; wherein said plate is made of a first metal having a first hardness, said first-type of locking screws are made of a different second metal having a second hardness substantially harder than said first hardness, and said second-type of fixation locking screws (106, 108) are made of said first metal; wherein said first-type of locking screws each include a shaft, a portion of said shaft spaced apart from said head and an opposite end of said screw is reduced in diameter; and wherein the reduced diameter portion of said first-type of locking screws is selected such that said first-type of locking screws are not less flexible than said second-type locking screws (106, 108).