Patent ID: 7615068

Claim:
A pedicle screw subassembly comprising: (a) a threaded screw shaft; (b) an upwardly extending collet that includes a plurality of downwardly extending slots, said slots defining a plurality of deflectable upstanding segments therebetween, wherein said upwardly extending collet defines a circumferential ring groove; (c) a spherical element defining a substantially spherical outer surface and defining a cylindrical central passage that is configured and dimensioned such that said upwardly extending collet passes through said cylindrical central passage, said spherical element also defining an inner groove formed in said cylindrical central passage of said spherical element; wherein said substantially spherical outer surface is adapted to interact with an attachment member of a spine stabilizing system for dynamic motion therebetween; and (d) a snap ring that defines a partial circle having a diameter and that includes an opening for facilitating expansion of the diameter of the partial circle, the snap ring being seated at least in part within both said inner groove of said spherical element and said circumferential ring groove of said upwardly extending collet, wherein said collet defines an internally threaded region that is adapted to receive a set screw.