Patent ID: 7198644

Claim:
An intervertebral implant for contact with adjacent vertebral bodies, said implant comprising: a first carrier plate comprising a front edge, a middle area, a rear edge, and a concave, crowned joint surface comprising a lowest point; and a second carrier plate comprising a front edge, a middle area, a rear edge, a center line extending between said front edge and said rear edge, and a convex, crowned joint surface comprising a highest point, wherein said joint surfaces are positioned flatly in contact with one another and are configured to support said carrier plates pivotably with respect to one another, said highest and lowest points of said respective convex and concave joint surfaces are positioned between said rear edges and said middle areas of said carrier plates, said convex joint surface extends substantially symmetrically in said middle area of said second carrier plate with respect to said center line of said second carrier plate, and said convex joint surface projects farther away from said second carrier plate at an end facing said rear edge than at an end facing said front edge.