A surgical instrument, comprising: a first jaw comprising a first jaw body defining a first jaw axis, wherein said first jaw body defines a first proximal end and a first distal tip, wherein said first distal tip terminates at a first point that is laterally displaced from said first jaw axis, and wherein said first jaw body defines a first jaw clamping face; and a second jaw comprising a second jaw body defining a second jaw axis, wherein said second jaw body defines a second proximal end and a second distal tip, wherein said second distal tip terminates at a second point that is laterally displaced from said second jaw axis, wherein second jaw body defines a second jaw clamping face, wherein said first proximal end and said second proximal end are movably coupled together to facilitate selective movement of said first jaw and said second jaw relative to each other between a closed position and an open position, wherein said first jaw further comprises at least one first alignment feature on a portion of said first jaw clamping face that is closer to said first distal tip than said first proximal end, and wherein said second jaw further comprises a second alignment feature on said second jaw clamping face corresponding to each said first alignment feature, wherein each first alignment feature is configured to interact with said corresponding second alignment feature when said first jaw and said second jaw are moved into said closed position such that said interaction between said first alignment feature and said corresponding second alignment feature moves said first distal tip and said second distal tip into an aligned position; characterized in further comprising at least one electrode on at least one of said first jaw clamping face and said second jaw clamping face and wherein the at least one electrode comprises a first electrode protruding from said first jaw clamping face a first electrode height, wherein said at least one first alignment feature comprises at least one first tooth protruding from another portion of said first jaw clamping face, and wherein said at least one first tooth protrudes from said another portion of said first jaw clamping face a first tooth height that is greater than said first electrode height. a first jaw comprising a first jaw body defining a first jaw axis, wherein said first jaw body defines a first proximal end and a first distal tip, wherein said first distal tip terminates at a first point that is laterally displaced from said first jaw axis, and wherein said first jaw body defines a first jaw clamping face; and a second jaw comprising a second jaw body defining a second jaw axis, wherein said second jaw body defines a second proximal end and a second distal tip, wherein said second distal tip terminates at a second point that is laterally displaced from said second jaw axis, wherein second jaw body defines a second jaw clamping face, wherein said first proximal end and said second proximal end are movably coupled together to facilitate selective movement of said first jaw and said second jaw relative to each other between a closed position and an open position, wherein said first jaw further comprises at least one first alignment feature on a portion of said first jaw clamping face that is closer to said first distal tip than said first proximal end, and wherein said second jaw further comprises a second alignment feature on said second jaw clamping face corresponding to each said first alignment feature, wherein each first alignment feature is configured to interact with said corresponding second alignment feature when said first jaw and said second jaw are moved into said closed position such that said interaction between said first alignment feature and said corresponding second alignment feature moves said first distal tip and said second distal tip into an aligned position; characterized in further comprising at least one electrode on at least one of said first jaw clamping face and said second jaw clamping face and wherein the at least one electrode comprises a first electrode protruding from said first jaw clamping face a first electrode height, wherein said at least one first alignment feature comprises at least one first tooth protruding from another portion of said first jaw clamping face, and wherein said at least one first tooth protrudes from said another portion of said first jaw clamping face a first tooth height that is greater than said first electrode height.