Patent ID: 7051417

Claim:
A method for forming an interbody orthopedic implant having an exterior surface with a plurality of surface projections adapted for contact with bone, including adjacent bones and bone portions, the method comprising the steps of: providing the implant comprising a leading end for introduction of the orthopedic implant into the bone, an opposite trailing end, spaced apart sides therebetween, and a mid-longitudinal axis passing through the leading and trailing ends, an exterior surface between said leading and trailing ends and said spaced apart sides; and forming surface projections as part of the exterior surface of the implant: at least a first and a second surface projection each having a first facet configuration with at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward facet directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward facet having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet being longer than the length of said rearward facet, the slope of said rearward facet being steeper than the slope of said forward facet, said first and second surface projections each having a peak along a first line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis of said implant; and at least a third and a fourth surface projection each having a second facet configuration with at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward facet directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward facet of said second facet configuration having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet of said second facet configuration being longer than the length of said rearward facet of said second facet configuration, the slope of said rearward facet of said second facet configuration being steeper than the slope of said forward facet of said second facet configuration, said third and fourth surface projections each having a peak along a second line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis and off-set from the first line transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, the second facet configuration of the third and fourth surface projections being different from the first facet configuration of the first and second surface projections.