A non-sterile device that is inserted into the threaded or non-threaded hole of a metal orthopaedic fixation plate (e.g., trauma or craniofacial plate) prior to the surgeon bending the plate to conform to the anatomical shape of the implant site (e.g., jawbone or pelvis) in order to preserve the integrity of the holes which would otherwise deform, negating the entry of the bone screws that hold the plate in place. It is typically made of metal or synthetic material in the form of a short screw or pin-like device with a slotted head used solely during the bending of plates that typically have a continuous row of screw holes. This is a single-use device intended to be sterilized prior to use.