Bone plates and bone plate systems are provided in which a bone plate includes a plurality of bone screw holes formed therein and positioned in laterally adjacent pairs. Positioned between the laterally adjacent pairs of bone screw holes are stabilizing strut. The bone plate system can additionally include windows positioned between longitudinally adjacent struts. Transverse bone screw planes can extend across the superior and inferior edges of the bone screw holes and define the minimum longitudinal boundaries of the windows. A guide device adapted for mating with the bone plate is also disclosed.