The present invention provides vertebral spacers having a lower surface and an upper surface, an anterior face and a posterior face extending from the lower surface, and at least one guiding groove for engaging an
insertion tool. A
system for delivering a vertebral spacer to the
spinal column of a patient, includes an
insertion tool, an optional guiding tool, a pusher, a vertebral spacer, and a
cutting tool. The
insertion tool accepts any of a pusher, a vertebral spacer, or a
cutting tool and has at least one spacer guide for engaging with a guiding groove of a vertebral spacer. The vertebral spacer is inserted into a patient by inserting the insertion tool into an
intervertebral space, engaging the guiding groove of a vertebral spacer with a space guide of the insertion tool, advancing a pusher into the insertion tool, thereby pushing the vertebral spacer into the
intervertebral space and thereafter removing the pusher and the insertion tool. The
cutting tool is optionally used to
chisel at least one vertebral space receiving slot in the vertebrae. A hardening biocompatible composition also maybe delivered, to bond the vertebral spacer to an adjacent
vertebra or be an osteogenic composition to promote
bone growth.