Patent ID: 8055487

Claim:
A method of selecting a configuration of screws for securing a bone plate to a bone of a patient, comprising: inputting into a computer, having a processor, memory and input/output functionality, information about one or more of (1) the bone; (2) the patient; (3) physical forces to which the bone will be subjected; (4) a candidate bone plate; or (5) candidate screws adapted to be potentially used with the bone plate; simulating, in the computer, a performance of a first structure comprising the bone plate, the bone, and a first configuration of screws securing the bone plate to the bone; simulating, in the computer, a performance of a second structure comprising the bone plate and the bone of the first structure, and a second configuration of screws securing the bone plate to the bone of the first structure, the second configuration being different than the first configuration; and selecting one of the different configurations of screws based on the simulation of the performance of the first and second structures.