Patent ID: 7850717

Claim:
A bone anchor, comprising: a bone engaging element including external threads structured for engagement with bone and including: a first portion formed of a first material and defining at least a portion of said external threads; a second portion formed of a second material different from said first material and defining at least a portion of said external threads, said second portion extending at least partially along a length of said first portion and about a periphery of said first portion, said second portion of said bone engaging element positioned between said first portion and adjacent bone tissue when said bone engaging element is engaged with the bone to provide an interface with the adjacent bone tissue; and wherein said second material comprises a moldable material that is molded about said periphery of said first portion of said bone engaging element to form a unitary, single-piece structure, said at least a portion of said external threads defined by said second portion comprising molded external threads formed of said moldable material that are molded into said second portion of said bone engaging element; and wherein said first material exhibits a performance characteristic that differs from that of said second material; and wherein said bone engaging element extends along an axis and includes at least three distinct axial regions, said second portion of said bone engaging element extending along at least one of said axial regions and providing a buffer between said first portion of said bone engaging element and the adjacent bone tissue, said first portion of said bone engaging element extending along at least one of said axial regions and interfacing directly with adjacent bone tissue, and wherein said axial regions defined by said second portion of said bone engaging element formed of said second material are positioned in an alternating manner relative to said axial regions defined by said first portion of said bone engaging element formed of said first material; and wherein said at least a portion of said external threads defined by said first portion cooperates with said molded external threads defined by said second portion to form a substantially continuous threading extending along said at least three distinct axial regions of said bone engaging element; and an implant engaging element structured for coupling with an implant to anchor the implant to the bone.