A bone attachment assembly comprising: - an attachment head comprising first and second upwardly extending sidewalls forming a channel for a rod to extend through, the channel extending from a top region to a base region of the attachment head along a longitudinal screw axis of the bone attachment assembly - the channel defining an opening into the top region for the insertion of the rod ; - a set screw configured to attach to the attachment head and having a pointed tip ; and - a rod carrier coupled to the attachment head , - the rod carrier having an upper concave rod surface and a lower convex surface such that the upper concave rod surface faces the rod and the lower convex surface faces the attachment head , - the rod carrier is pivotably coupled to the attachment head so as to pivot about a lateral axis of the bone attachment assembly that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal screw axis , characterized in that - the upper concave rod surface having a first raised portion formed along a first peripheral edge of the rod carrier and a second raised portion formed along a second peripheral edge of the rod carrier , the first and second raised portions define a lowered portion positioned between the first raised portion and the second raised portion , wherein the first raised portion , the second raised portion , and the set screw are configured to directly contact the rod in order to retain the rod within the attachment head and - a threaded screw shaft attached to a base region of the attachment head , wherein, when the rod is positioned on a portion of the rod surface and the longitudinal axis of the rod is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the threaded screw shaft , the first raised portion , the second raised portion , and a pointed tip of the set screw define three points of contact of the rod within the attachment head , wherein the rod is held within the attachment head by only the three points of contact. - an attachment head comprising first and second upwardly extending sidewalls forming a channel for a rod to extend through, the channel extending from a top region to a base region of the attachment head along a longitudinal screw axis of the bone attachment assembly - the channel defining an opening into the top region for the insertion of the rod ; - a set screw configured to attach to the attachment head and having a pointed tip ; and - a rod carrier coupled to the attachment head , - the rod carrier having an upper concave rod surface and a lower convex surface such that the upper concave rod surface faces the rod and the lower convex surface faces the attachment head , - the rod carrier is pivotably coupled to the attachment head so as to pivot about a lateral axis of the bone attachment assembly that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal screw axis , characterized in that - the upper concave rod surface having a first raised portion formed along a first peripheral edge of the rod carrier and a second raised portion formed along a second peripheral edge of the rod carrier , the first and second raised portions define a lowered portion positioned between the first raised portion and the second raised portion , wherein the first raised portion , the second raised portion , and the set screw are configured to directly contact the rod in order to retain the rod within the attachment head and - a threaded screw shaft attached to a base region of the attachment head , wherein, when the rod is positioned on a portion of the rod surface and the longitudinal axis of the rod is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the threaded screw shaft , the first raised portion , the second raised portion , and a pointed tip of the set screw define three points of contact of the rod within the attachment head , wherein the rod is held within the attachment head by only the three points of contact. <EOS>