Patent ID: 8109979

Claim:
A method for replacing at least a portion of an intervertebral disc in a spinal column, comprising the steps of: removing the portion of the intervertebral disc from the spinal column; and inserting first and second members of an intervertebral disc replacement device into an intervertebral disc space of the spinal column, the first and second members being detachably engaged with an insertion plate operable to substantially maintain the first and second members in registration with one another; providing a drill guide including a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a guide member disposed at the distal end of the shaft for engaging with the insertion plate; inserting a portion of the drill guide over a first alignment element on the insertion plate; inserting a drill bit through at least one guide bore of the guide member to align the drill bit with an area of a vertebral bone of the intervertebral disc space to which one of the first and second members of the intervertebral disc replacement device is to be attached; and drilling the vertebral bone.