[hey_look_its_dave]

When they put in an artificial disc, they choose the sizing with regards to width. This is true, I believe, for my case (Activ-L). The issue is making sure it rests on the boney rim of the vertebra rather than the porous inner portion, in order to avoid subsidence. I get that. My pea brain gets that.

What I don't get is - and forgive me if this is totally moronic, even worse, seeing as I've already had the ADR - doesn't everybody have slightly differing inter-vertebral spacing? And so, doesn't that mean that a one-size-fits-all for intervertebral spacing is a potential problem?

For example, what if the ADR gives you slightly more intervertebral space than you naturally had, so the nerve roots are slightly extended all the time, causing sciatica on both sides for no apparent reason?

Or on the flip-side, the ADR gives you slightly less intervertebral space than you naturally had, so the tissue surrounding the nerve roots is slightly compressed, compressing the nerve roots, causing sciatica on both sides for no apparent reason?

Dave