An orthopedic fastener is disclosed, with a cylindrical shank having pre-selected diameter, the shank also providing adjacent unthreaded and threaded portions. The threaded portion is configured to secure the orthopedic fastener into cortical bone. The shank further has a thread root transition zone providing a tapered thread root profile between the unthreaded and threaded portions. The thread root transition zone is positioned on the shank such that, when the orthopedic fastener is operably secured into a specimen of cortical bone, the thread root transition zone is located outside of the specimen of cortical bone.
