I am not sure that you can not have MRI anymore, never heard that before. I have c5/6 problem and need to decide between fusion or adr. adr will be for sure the gold standard, but I think what's approved today is 1st generation adr. It is so confusing.
My Dr. advised AGAINST the artificial disc surgery because it is very new with not a lot of history behind it right now (it was just approved in the United States!!) and the fact that you will NEVER be able to have another MRI of your neck should you have any other problems down the road. The new artificial discs are made of stainless steel and that is why you will never, ever be able to have another MRI. If you have degenerative disc the chances of further degeneration down the road is great. My Dr. said he would recommend the old fusion over the new artificial disc due to these reasons. He said it will be a great device down the road if they make it out of something other than stainless steel.
If you do go through with this surgery please keep me posted on how you are doing! And good luck no matter what :)
neck surgery is a lot faster recovery than the back surery. watch out for the tape. come to find out my wife is allergic to some kind of tape the hospital used. she actually ended up back in the hospital with blisters that got infected from the neck brace. after her last neck operation the doctor went in from the front and the back. going in from the back was painful they have to cut mussels and that hurt her a lot. Valium is a good mussel relaxer. good luck!