Patent ID: 7637928

Claim:
A method for fixing bone comprising: providing a bone plate configured and dimensioned for application to a patient's bone, the plate having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one opening extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, the opening defining a first axis substantially perpendicular to the upper surface and the opening, the opening provided with non-thread protrusions configured and dimensioned to have the same pitch and mate with the threads on a bone screw head, wherein the non-thread protrusions exhibit the same pitch as that of the bone screw head prior to insertion of the bone screw head into the opening; applying the bone plate to a patient's bone; inserting a bone screw through the opening in the bone plate at a selected, variable angle of rotation relative to the first axis, the bone screw having a threaded head portion, the threaded head portion having a double entry thread; and tightening the bone screw such that the threaded head portion of the screw mates with one or more of the protrusions of the inner surface of the opening in the bone plate to lock the screw to the plate at the selected angle relative to the first axis.