prosthesis 26 the prosthesis 36 is particularly well suited to single sided procedures and or for procedures involving vertebral bodies which are not symmetrical the prosthesis 36 comprises a body 38 sized and shaped to span the distance between a pedicle 14 and an inferior articular process 24 see fig3 the body 38 may be formed of the same types of material as the link body 28 like the link body 28 the upper section of the joint link body 38 desirably includes an opening 42 to accommodate a pedicle screw 34 see fig3 which secures the upper end of the body 38 into the pedicle 14 of the vertebral body in similar fashion as generally shown in fig4 as before described with reference to the link 26 the opening 42 in the link body 38 could be elongated to allow for varying orientations and or sizes of the pedicle screw 34 the remainder of the link body 28 can be secured to the exterior of the vertebra using e g biocompatible adhesive unlike the link body 28 the link body 38 includes an intermediate opening 44 in use see fig3 the spinous process 18 if present can extend through the opening 44 to stabilize the link body 38 on the vertebral body desirably a trans spinous process screw 45 can be used to provide additional stability the lower section of the joint link body 38 is oriented to serve.