Patent ID: 8080041

Claim:
A method for distracting an intervertebral disc space, comprising: making a surgical incision; providing a first dilator including an outer surface configured to engage endplate surfaces of adjacent vertebrae; inserting the first dilator through the surgical incision and into the disc space defined by the endplate surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae such that the outer surface of the first dilator engages the endplate surfaces to distract the endplate surfaces; determining if the disc space is at a desired disc space height; successively inserting one or more additional dilators over the first dilator and into the disc space such that an outer surface of each of the one or more additional dilators engages the endplate surfaces to distract the endplate surfaces and enlarge the disc space to the desired disc space height; removing each of the dilators except for an outermost dilator; and inserting an intervertebral disc spacer, the intervertebral disc spacer including a screw engageable therewith for expanding the intervertebral disc spacer within the disc space, into the disc space through the outermost dilator.