The disclosure provides an intervertebral disc and related methods. An upper plate includes an upper vertebra contacting portion and a lower bearing surface portion. The upper vertebra contacting portion includes a convex central portion, and a fin or anchoring element with a transverse hole therethrough. A lower plate has a lower vertebra contacting surface and an upper bearing surface. The lower vertebra contacting surface of the lower plate has a convex central portion. The upper bearing surface has a concavity disposed opposite the convex central portion and wherein the convex central portion and the concavity have nesting curvatures. A core positioned between the upper and lower plates has rigid upper and lower convex surfaces configured to slide and translate over the bearing surfaces of the upper and lower plates.

A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates, a core disposed between the plates, and at least one projection extending from at least one of the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core into at least one recess of one of the inner surfaces of the plates. The recess is oversize with respect to the projection to allow sliding movement of the plate over the core while retaining the core between the plates during such sliding movement. The projection(s) may include a rod extending through an axial hole in the core, multiple surface features of the core, or the like.

An implant includes a substrate and a coating. The substrate includes a first outer surface. The coating is disposed on the first outer surface. The coating includes eighty percent titanium dioxide and twenty percent aluminum oxide.

A medical device is provided comprising an at least one surface deposited with at least a first conformal coating and a second conformal coating deposited on the first conformal coating, wherein the first conformal coating comprises the first chemical substance and the second conformal coating comprises the second chemical substance. In some instances, the first coating is deposited over the first chemical substance and the second coating is deposited over the second chemical substance.

An intervertebral disc is provided having an upper plate, a lower plate, and a core. The upper and lower plates include outer vertebral body contacting surfaces which are provided with attachment enhancing features to ensure bone integration. The attachment enhancing features shown include one or more fins, serrations and teeth. An opposite surface of the plates from the vertebral body contacting surfaces is formed with a recess which serves as a bearing surface for the core. In order to form an intervertebral disc with a lower disc height, at least one of the recesses is provided opposite a corresponding dome shaped portion on the vertebral body contacting surfaces. This allows the plates to be formed with a thinner profile for a smaller overall disc height. In addition to providing a lower overall height to the artificial disc, the dome shaped portion of the plates also provides a more anatomically shaped outer vertebral body contacting surface.

A device, for example a medical implant, and a method of making the same, the device having a metal or metal alloy substrate, for example cobalt chrome, and a diffusion hardened metallic surface, for example a plasma carburized surface, contacting a non-diffusion hardened surface or a diffusion hardened surface having a diffusion hardening species different from that of the opposing surface.

A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates, a core disposed between the plates, and at least one projection extending from at least one of the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core into at least one recess of one of the inner surfaces of the plates. The recess is oversize with respect to the projection to allow sliding movement of the plate over the core while retaining the core between the plates during such sliding movement. The projection(s) may include a rod extending through an axial hole in the core, multiple surface features of the core, or the like.

An orthopaedic implant can replace a joint in a patient. The orthopaedic implant includes a first component having a first component surface and a second component having a second component surface. The first component surface and the second component surface mate at an interface. The first component surface includes a metal substrate, a nanotextured surface, a ceramic coating, and a transition zone. The nanotextured surface is disposed directly upon the metal substrate and has surface features in a size of 10.sup.9 meters. The ceramic coating conforms to the nanotextured surface and includes a plurality of bio-active sites configured to attract and retain calcium and phosphorous cations. The transition zone is disposed between the metal substrate and the ceramic coating. The transition zone includes a concentration gradient transitioning from the metal substrate to the ceramic coating and there is no distinct interface between the metal substrate and the ceramic coating.

An intervertebral disc is provided having an upper plate, a lower plate, and a core. The upper and lower plates include outer vertebral body contacting surfaces which are provided with attachment enhancing features to ensure bone integration. The attachment enhancing features shown include one or more fins, serrations and teeth. An opposite surface of the plates from the vertebral body contacting surfaces is formed with a recess which serves as a bearing surface for the core. In order to form an intervertebral disc with a lower disc height, at least one of the recesses is provided opposite a corresponding dome shaped portion on the vertebral body contacting surfaces. This allows the plates to be formed with a thinner profile for a smaller overall disc height. In addition to providing a lower overall height to the artificial disc, the dome shaped portion of the plates also provides a more anatomically shaped outer vertebral body contacting surface.

An intervertebral disc includes a superior endplate having an upper vertebral contacting surface and a lower bearing surface, wherein the upper vertebral contacting surface of the superior endplate has a central portion that is raised relative to a peripheral portion of the superior endplate, and wherein the lower bearing surface has a concavity disposed opposite the raised central portion. The disc includes an inferior endplate having a lower vertebral contacting surface and an upper surface, wherein the lower vertebral contacting surface of the inferior endplate has a central portion and wherein the upper bearing surface has a concavity disposed opposite the central portion. A core is positioned between the upper and inferior endplates, the core having upper and lower core bearing surfaces configured to mate with the bearing surfaces of the upper and inferior endplates. The upper vertebral contacting surface of the superior endplate has a different shape than the lower vertebral contacting surface of the inferior endplate.