An artificial disc including an inner expandable region and an outer peripheral region. The expandable region is transitionable to an expanded configuration having an expanded height that is greater than the intervertebral disc space height, and with the peripheral region having a height substantially equal to the intervertebral disc space height. In one embodiment, the peripheral region has an outer profile substantially corresponding to the size and shape of the intervertebral disc space. In another embodiment, the expandable region comprises a non-porous flexible bladder that is transitionable to the expanded configuration via introduction of an expansion media into an interior chamber of the bladder, with the artificial disc further including an inlet port for introducing expansion media into the interior chamber, and an outlet port for removing expansion media from the interior chamber. In a further embodiment, a vacuum source is positioned in communication with the interior chamber to facilitate removal of expansion media therefrom.