Patent ID: 7704280

Claim:
An intervertebral implant comprising: a top part having a top surface, a dorsal side surface, a ventral side surface, a first top lateral side surface, a second top lateral side surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein the top surface is suitable for contacting the vertebra adjacent and above the site of implantation and the bottom surface includes a first top curved groove and a second top curved groove extending from the ventral side for engaging first and second jaws associated with an insertion instrument, the first top groove and the second top groove, respectively, lie substantially below the top surface of the top part; and a bottom part having a bottom surface, a dorsal side surface, a ventral side surface, a first bottom lateral side surface, a second bottom lateral side surface, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is suitable for contacting the vertebra adjacent and below the site of implantation, and the top surface includes a first bottom curved groove and a second bottom curved groove extending from the ventral side for engaging the first and the second jaws associated with the insertion instrument, the first bottom groove and the second bottom groove, respectively, lie substantially above the bottom surface of the bottom part; a central plane between the first top lateral side surface and the second top lateral side surface and between the first bottom lateral side surface and the second bottom lateral side surface, the central plane substantially bisecting the top part and substantially bisecting the bottom part; a central axis lying in the central plane intersecting the top part and the bottom part; and a joint arranged between the top part and the bottom part, comprising a convex joint part having a first articular surface and a joint shell having a second articular surface corresponding to the joint shell and mounted in a sliding manner on the first articular surface.