Novel devices (120) and methods for soft tissue anchoring and securement are disclosed, such devices and methods offering the advantage of enabling secured tissue to withstand significant forces after such securement is complete. The novel tissue anchoring elements (28) include a force-distributing device that has a large surface area relative to conventional tissue securement devices such as sutures and staples. The force-distributing device (28) may be implanted to a controlled depth into the tissue mass by forming a pocket in a tissue mass and inserting the device, or by slowly driving the device into tissue means of an erosion mechanism such as local pressure necrosis (56). The erosion process may be driven by a force-producing element that may also include a tissue-grasping element (144).