A pair of plate benders is provided for bending a bone plate having a plurality of screw holes and a plurality of tubular drill guides removably preassembled into the screw holes. Each plate bender has a first end, a second end, and a handle extending between the first and second ends. The first end has a lower table on which the plate is received, an upper retaining structure which is adapted to engage the tubular drill guides, a recess defined between the lower table and upper retaining structure into which a portion of the plate is received such that the plate extends over a portion of the table and below a portion of the retaining structure. The retaining structure engages the periphery of the tubular drill guides to secure the plate relative to the bending tool.