Patent ID: 8900273

Claim:
A system, comprising: an implant shaped to replace a first portion of a first natural facet joint, the implant comprising a first facet articular surface; an elongated member; and a locking connector coupled to the implant, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or a position of the implant relative to the elongated member, the locking connector comprising: a housing; a collet receivable within the housing, the collet comprising a channel; and a tapered wedge portion; wherein the collet is radially expandable, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member in response to radial expansion of the collet by non-rotatable insertion of the tapered wedge portion into the channel of the collet, wherein the tapered wedge portion includes a channel for receiving the elongated member, and wherein a first end of the elongated member is polyaxially movable relative to a second end of the elongated member prior to the locking connector locking an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member.