Spinal implants and methods to repair annular defects in intervertebral
discs and provide dynamic stability to the spine in the vicinity of a
repaired disc are described. Some implants include head and tail
portions. In some embodiments, the head portion of an implant is enlarged
relative to the tail portion. Some head portions and tail portions are
adapted to support adjacent vertebrae and resist collapse of the
intervertebral disc. Head portions provide a spacer function to maintain
separation between adjacent vertebrae. A tapered portion of some implants
engages end plates of adjacent vertebrae to resist forces tending to push
the implant out of the intervertebral space. The tail portion of some
implants includes a tail flange (which in some embodiments is of similar
diameter to the head portion) that abuts extradiscal lips of the adjacent
vertebrae and resists forces tending to push the implant deeper into the
intervertebral space.