Exostoses are benign protuberances of bone that may arise on the cortical surface of the jaws (eFigure 2-16). A torus (plural: tori) is an exostosis that occurs in one of two locations intraorally.
The designation of tori and exostoses depends on their location in the oral cavity; torus palatinus is found along the midline of the palate, while torus mandibularis is found along the lingual aspect of the mandible and is usually bilateral.
In cases where tori or exostoses are in the way for a prosthesis, a minor surgical procedure is used to remove them so that the complete denture or partial denture can be fabricated without problems.
Torus palatinus and torus mandibularis are two of the most common intraoral exostoses. Other types of exostoses, affecting the palatal aspect of the maxilla (palatal exostoses) or the buccal aspects of the jaws (buccal exostoses), are less commonly encountered.
Bony growths in your mouth are also called tori or exostosis. They are benign growths that can form growths in the roof of your mouth or along the gums, either outside of the jaw along the lips or cheeks or inside of the lower jaw.
Issues and Treatment for Exostosis Mouth
In the rare instance where treatment is recommended, the exostosis can be removed in a dental specialist's office, usually by an oral surgeon. Under local anesthesia, the surgeon will make an incision and lift the soft tissue away to expose the overgrowth of bone.
Common causes include injury, chronic irritation of a bone, or a family history of exostosis. In some cases, the cause of exostosis is unknown. Exostosis that is related to family history is called hereditary multiple exostoses or diaphyseal aclasis.
Torus mandibularis (also called tori bone) are bony growths in the lower mouth. They are most often thought to be caused by genetics, stress in the jaw, teeth misalignment, teeth grinding, or environmental factors.
An exostosis, also known as a bone spur, is the formation of new bone on the surface of a bone.
Removal of torus or exostosis is a relatively minor procedure with minimal discomfort. When removal is indicated, proper diagnosis, planning, and technique should be used for optimal results.
Tori & Exostosis Removal
These are normal growths of bone and many patients have them and do not require any intervention. However, when these bony growths get so large that they impair normal function and esthetics they may require surgical removal.
They normally only need to be removed if a lower denture or partial denture needs to be constructed. As mentioned, these tori are benign in nature, so unless they are risk to your oral health, most clinicians will recommend just watching them over time.
The size of the tori may fluctuate throughout life but they do tend to get bigger over time. In some cases the tori can be large enough to touch each other in the midline of mouth. Consequently, it is believed that mandibular tori are the result of local stresses and not solely on genetic influences.
The size of the tori can increase slowly and continuously through the life of an individual. If the tori has to be removed, surgery can be done to reduce the bone, but it may grow back again in cases where there is local stress, such as excessive forces from an unbalanced bite.
Caused by a genetic disorder, it's usually diagnosed around the age of 3 or 4. The gene for hereditary multiple exostosis affects bone growth and causes multiple exostoses to form. The exostoses become bigger as children grow but will stop developing once they reach adulthood. External auditory exostoses.
Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME), also called hereditary multiple osteochondromas, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by multiple osteochondromas that grow near the growth plates of bones such as the ribs, pelvis, vertebrae and especially long bones.
Exostoses are one of the most common benign tumors, seen in approximately 3% of the population. Exostoses are the result of displaced growth plate cartilage, which causes lateral bone growth from the metaphyseal region.
Joint damage from osteoarthritis is the most common cause of bone spurs. As osteoarthritis breaks down the cartilage cushioning the ends of your bones, your body attempts to repair the loss by creating bone spurs near the damaged area.
It will cause discomfort and if the growth continues, mandibular tori can cause pain or disturbed mouths functions. The size of the tori may fluctuate throughout life, and in some cases, it can be large enough to touch each other in the midline of your mouth.
Because mandibular tori are bone growths, you cannot get rid of them without surgical treatment from your dentist.
Believe it or not, clenching and grinding can actually change the shape of your bone. Though not particularly common, some people with bruxism develop bony growths on the inside of their lower jaw, under the tongue. These growths are called mandibular tori, and they are harmless and benign.
The growths can appear as single or multiple nodules in a range of shapes: regular or irregular, flat, spindle-shaped, or nodular. Inside your mouth, mandibular tori emerge on the backside of your lower gums – with the bony growths developing on either or both sides.
The size of tori may fluctuate throughout life and, in some cases, tori may become large enough to touch each other in the midline of the mouth. Consequently, it is believed that mandibular tori are the result of local stresses rather than occurring solely to genetic influences.
Tori typically develop during late adolescence and gradually increase in size throughout adulthood. When small, they rarely cause symptoms or pain and are usually an incidental finding during routine clinical or dental examinations.