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Tori What Is It? Symptoms Diagnosis Expected Duration Prevention Treatment When To Call a Professional Prognosis What Is It? A torus (plural "tori") is a harmless growth of bone. Three locations in the mouth are prone to the development of tori. They are the roof of the mouth (tori palatini), the inside of the lower jaw (tori mandibulari, also known as lingual tori), and the buccal (or cheek) side of the upper molars (buccal exostoses). Lingual tori almost always appear on both sides of the lower jaw simultaneously. Tori are slow-growing and vary in size, but most do not interfere with eating or speech. Many people have tori without knowing it. Your dentist may find a torus during an exam, or you might notice one on your own. Many people who notice tori are concerned about oral cancer, but tori are not cancerous and do not have the potential to become cancerous. A torus is normal bone covered with normal tissue. However, other types of growths in the mouth can be associated with oral cancer, so your dentist should check any growths. Symptoms Because they are on the roof of your mouth, tori palatini can be irritated by hard foods such as crusty bread or hot foods such as pizza. Large tori can interfere with speech, dentures or braces. Otherwise, there are no symptoms. Diagnosis Your dentist can diagnose a torus during a dental exam. You may need to have X-rays taken. You also may need a biopsy if you or your dentist has noticed the torus getting larger or if the torus is found in uncharacteristic areas of the mouth, such as on only one side of the lower jaw. Expected Duration Tori are bone growths and will not disappear unless surgically removed. Prevention Tori cannot be prevented. Treatment If the growths are causing complications or are interfering with daily life, an oral surgeon can remove them. They also should be removed if you have dentures made. When To Call a Professional Call your dentist if you notice any bumps in your mouth that you hadn't noticed before. Prognosis The outlook for tori is excellent since they are not harmful and most do not need treatment. If you need treatment, removing tori is a straightforward procedure that usually is performed in an office setting. Printer-friendly version       Last updated September 28, 2006 Printer-friendly version

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