Torus

About 20-30% of the population has torus. It is more frequent in women and in people of Asian origin.

What is torus?

It is an oral exostosis, that is, a bony protrusion of unknown etiology. It is called palatal torus when it occurs in the upper jaw and mandibular torus when it appears in the lower jaw. Clinically it appears as an asymptomatic bony protrusion covered by normal mucosa and can be considered a manifestation of benign hyperostosis that develops slowly, often as a single structure, usually characterized by a smooth surface, with a broad base, fusiform in shape, with a midline ridge; sometimes it can assume a multilobular, nodular structure , with multiple outgrowths.

Palatal torus may be associated with the presence of mandibular torus. Unless there are functional interferences that generate alterations in dentition, speech, chewing, breathing, or recurrent mucosal trauma with ulceration, torus does not require any treatment.

Causes

Researchers do not know exactly what causes torus, but they strongly suspect that it may have a genetic component, so that a person with torus can pass it on to his or her children.

Other researchers believe that there is a connection between the pressure exerted on the bony structures of the mouth when teeth are ground and clenched or by the continuous pressure on the palate from the use of dental prostheses. However, there is no unanimity with this hypothesis.

Torus characteristics

Although torus does not usually cause pain or physical symptoms, it usually has the following characteristics:

• Location: center of the palate or inner border of the mandible.
• Size: usually 2 to 6 mm.
• Shapes: flat, nodular, fusiform or appear as a group of connected growths.
• Slow growth: usually begins during puberty, but may not become evident until middle age. As we age, the torus stops growing and, in some cases, may even shrink, due to the body's natural bone resorption as we age.

Treatment

Treatment of torus is generally not recommended unless it affects the person's day-to-day life in some way. Surgery - the most common treatment - may be recommended when:

• It makes it difficult to adjust the dental prosthesis properly.
• Interferes with eating, drinking, speaking or good dental hygiene.
• They are large in size to the point that a chafe can be generated by biting into solid food. When a graze is generated, it can take a long time to heal.

The surgery can be performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon is usually a maxillofacial surgeon, that is, a specialist in neck, face and jaw surgery. An incision is made in the area where it is located and the excess bone is removed.

The risk of complications with this surgery is low. Recovery usually lasts between 3 and 4 weeks. To minimize discomfort and speed recovery, the surgeon may suggest:

• Take analgesics.
• Soft diet to prevent sutures from opening.
• Rinse the mouth with an oral antiseptic to reduce the risk of infection.

When to seek treatment for torus?

Although, as we have seen, torus is not a problem, the appearance of a lump or cyst in the mouth should never be ignored. In general, it is always important to have regular check-ups. Therefore, it is advisable to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as you notice a lump in your mouth, and it will be the specialist who will define the steps to be taken.

In most cases, if the torus is not bothersome and does not interfere with health, the dentist will simply check the lump without requiring any further treatment. However, depending on the size and position of the torus, you may also experience difficulties with breathing, speaking or eating. Therefore, if the torus interferes with the fitting of dentures or your oral hygiene, the dentist will recommend its removal.