Patent ID: 8282676

Claim:
A method for securing an orthopedic fastener into cortical bone, the method comprising: (a) providing an orthopedic fastener, the orthopedic fastener including: a cylindrical shank, the cylindrical shank having a pre-selected diameter, the shank also providing adjacent unthreaded and threaded portions, the threaded portion configured to secure the orthopedic fastener into cortical bone; the shank further having a thread root transition zone providing a tapered thread root profile between the unthreaded and threaded portions, the tapered thread root profile transitioning from zero to full thread cut over a predetermined number of thread turns; and (b) securing at least a portion of the threaded portion of the orthopedic fastener into a specimen of cortical bone such that, when the orthopedic fastener is operably secured into the specimen of cortical bone, the thread root transition zone is located outside the specimen of cortical bone.