the plate 70 and tab 50 within opening 76 at cutout 52 of the tab 50 the surgeon may then apply force to the handles 142 of the tool 140 to move the tab 50 with respect to plate 70 and along the teeth 78 of plate 70 as the handles 142 are squeezed the tips 146 separate and force the tab 30 away from the proximal end of the plate 10 thereby separating the two bone surfaces a third embodiment of tool 160 is depicted in fig3 35 the tool 160 has two opposing handles 162 that pivot with respect to each other and a ratcheting mechanism 164 which maintains the desired position of the handles 162 the ratcheting mechanism 164 has a plurality of teeth 172 to lock the handles 162 in a desired position the ratcheting mechanism 164 may also be released after a plate 174 is secured in its desired position by applying force to the handles 162 to disengage the teeth 172 the plate 174 has a similar shape to plate 10 and plate 70 discussed above however plate 174 lacks the teeth of the prior plates in the opening 176 in addition the tool 160 may have tips 166 that are designed to engage the plate 174 on one side and the bone not shown on the opposite side the tips 166 may be held in place with plates 168 and fasteners 170 the tips 166 may also be interchangeable to provide various sizes and shapes for directly engaging a bone the fasteners 170 may be screws nails pins or the like depicted in fig3 is one of the tips 166 of the tool 160.