Patent ID: 7731738

Claim:
A self boring medical fastener for use in a medical setting for securing a first bone to a second bone, the self boring medical fastener adapted to cut on contact with the bone into which the self boring medical fastener is to be inserted to minimize separation at the bone securement interface as the self boring medical fastener passes from one bone to the second bone, the self boring medical fastener comprising: a cannula having a first portion, a second portion, an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the first portion of the cannula includes one or more threads positioned in a spiral pattern along a portion of the length thereof, the one or more threads being sized and configured to secure the cannula to a bone, and wherein the second portion of the cannula is devoid of threads; an end of the cannula adjacent the second portion of the cannula comprising a head, the head extending radially outward from the cannula and being adapted to accommodate a rotational tool which provides the rotational force necessary to allow for self boring of the self boring medical fastener into material in which the self boring medical fastener is to be positioned; and an end of the cannula opposite the head and adjacent the one or more threads comprising a tip, the tip having at least three cutting teeth, each of the cutting teeth comprising: (i) a continuous leading cutting edge extending from the inner surface of the cannula at the tip, (ii) a ramp edge extending from the inner surface of the cannula at the tip, and (iii) a curved cutting surface extending from the leading cutting edge up to the ramp edge, wherein the continuous leading cutting edge and the curved cutting surface of each tooth are configured to cut material to form a path in a bone into which the one or more threads will follow as the self boring medical fastener is advanced into the bone; wherein a slope of the curved cutting surface from the leading cutting edge to the ramp edge of each cutting tooth gradually increases from a first tooth of the at least three cutting teeth to subsequent teeth of the at least three cutting teeth.