Patent ID: 7771479

Claim:
An artificial spinal joint for creating at least a portion of a coupling between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra comprising: an anterior joint replacement component sized to extend into an intervertebral disc space between the superior and inferior vertebrae, wherein the anterior joint replacement component includes a left anterior member separated and spaced apart from a right anterior member; a bridge component coupled at a first end to the anterior joint replacement and sized to extend posteriorly outside the intervertebral disc space, wherein the bridge component includes a left bridge member separated and spaced apart from a right bridge member; and a posterior joint replacement component coupled to a second end of the bridge component, wherein the posterior joint replacement component includes a posterior protrusion engaged with a posterior socket, wherein the posterior joint replacement component includes a left posterior member separated and spaced apart from a right posterior member; wherein the left posterior member includes a first posterior protrusion engaged with a first posterior socket and the right posterior member includes a second posterior protrusion engaged with a second posterior socket.