Patent ID: 7299561

Claim:
A gauge system for use with an orthopedic implant and measuring the depth of a hole drilled into bone, comprising: a) a drill guide having a bore, a side window open to said bore, graduated indicia provided along a side of said window, and a threaded end for engagement with the orthopedic implant; and b) a gauge removable from said drill guide, said gauge having an elongate shaft portion provided with a reference mark, said shaft portion has an end portion angled by an angle relative to an adjacent straight portion of said shaft, said reference mark provided on said straight portion, and said end portion resiliently bendable relative to said adjacent portion, wherein when a hole is drilled using said drill guide and said gauge is inserted through said bore of said guide and into the hole, said angle is reduced and a depth through or within the hole is measured by the location of the reference mark, as viewed through said window, relative to said graduated indicia.