Patent ID: 7963979

Claim:
A bone plate system, comprising: a family of bone plates, comprising: a first bone plate having a first bone plate shaft and defining a first bone plate length; and a second bone plate having a second bone plate shaft and defining a second bone plate length, said first bone plate and said second bone plate both adapted for selective securement to a bone, said second bone plate length less than said first bone plate length, whereby said first bone plate and said second bone plate are adapted for the treatment of different fractures of the bone; and a provisional bone plate, comprising: an elongate body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the elongate body including a notch defining a frangible portion of the provisional bone plate, said provisional bone plate defining a first length from said first end to said second end, said first length corresponding to said first bone plate length, said provisional bone plate defining a second length from said first end to said notch, said second length corresponding to said second bone plate length, whereby said provisional bone plate can be positioned adjacent the bone to determine whether said first bone plate is appropriate for treating a fracture of the bone and whereby, with said provisional bone plate fractured at said notch and said frangible portion removed to form a fractured provisional bone plate, said fractured provisional bone plate can be positioned adjacent the bone to determine whether said second bone plate is appropriate for treating the fracture of the bone.