Torus mandibularis is thought to be caused mainly by environmental factors, such as bruxism, vitamin deficiencies and calcium-rich supplements, although genetic background also plays a key role.
A torus mandibularis is a noncancerous, bony growth that forms on your lower jaw and sits under your tongue. You may have one growth (torus) or several (tori). They can develop on one side or both sides of your mouth. Mandibular tori aren't dangerous, but they can be uncomfortable and even painful in some instances.
Treatment Options
Because mandibular tori are bone growths, you cannot get rid of them without surgical treatment from your dentist.
Tori is not relatively common: currently, it is estimated that anywhere from 5-40% of the population have distinguishable tori present in the mouth.
After the anesthetic has taken effect, the surgery team will use a blade to open the gum tissue that is overlying the excess bone (tori). Once a full thickness flap is open and the gum tissue is reflected, instruments and hand-pieces will be used to remove and smooth down the extra bone tissue.
Stress in the jaw bone and bruxism are other factors. This condition is more common in early adult life, and consequently, it is believed that mandibular tori are the result of local stresses and not solely on genetic influences.
Is mandibular tori caused by stress? The causes of mandibular tori are not fully understood, although environmental factors and diet are generally thought to be factors in developing these growths. Jaw stress is also related to tori growth, and emotional stress can be a contributor to jaw stress.
Due to laser technology, tori dental removal can be virtually pain-free.
Tori can develop in men and women with maxillary tori more common in females2. The average age for a torus to develop is between 30-40 years old3 although upper jaw tori have been discovered as early as the first decade in life4.
Mandibular tori are usually present on the tongue side of the jaw near the bicuspids ( also known as premolars). They usually – 90% of the time – occur on both sides of the mouth (bilaterally). Mandibular tori are not particularly common – about 5 – 10% of the population will have noticeable mandibular tori.
After your tori removal, it's important to follow all recovery procedures given by your dentist. In general, though, follow these guidelines for a quick and comfortable recovery. Laser tori removal sees an average full recovery time of about two weeks. Traditional surgical removal recovery may take a month or more.
Similar to enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a large tongue, or an enlarged uvula, large mandibular tori can contribute to breathing obstructions, making one more susceptible to snoring and sleep apnea.
Discomfort: Slight swelling of the operated area is not unusual. Chapped lips or bruising of the lips / cheek area may occur. A reusable ice bag or a frozen vegetable bag, wrapped in a soft towel, may be applied to the area of surgery to help minimize the swelling of your face.
Torus mandibularis is thought to be caused mainly by environmental factors, such as bruxism, vitamin deficiencies and calcium-rich supplements, although genetic background also plays a key role.
Dental tori factors include: Trauma or injury to the mouth's interior. Jawbone stress due to teeth grinding and clenching. Lifestyle/diet influences, such as vitamin deficiencies, fish consumption, and calcium-rich diets.
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.
Torus mandibularis is a structure that can appear on the inside of the mandible. Therefore, it is possible for tori to influence airway volume by occupying the space for tongue and cause sleep apnoea.
Tori, or mandibular tori to give it its full name, are small growths of bone that tend to grow on the tongue side of our gums where teeth grinding is present. They are harmless but do indicate that the patient may be grinding their teeth.
Especially large tori can get in the way of proper eating. Chips, crusty bread, and other crunchy foods present real difficulty. Food particles may become lodged in the tori, causing discomfort or bad breath.
Tori usually become apparent during the second or third decade of life. Tori may develop at the midline of palate (torus palatinus [TP]) or the lingual aspect of the mandible (torus mandibularis [TM]).
There are two ways to remove mandibular tori: traditional surgery and laser surgery. In traditional mandibular tori removal, patients are placed under general anesthesia. The oral surgeon then removes the tori with a scalpel. Laser surgery also reduces the amount of bony growth but without an incision.
If the tori are found on your lower jaw, they are considered to be mandibular tori. Most tori grow to a certain point and stop growing. Most growth stops after our jaws have developed in our late teenage years.
Removal of the tori by laser surgery has a lot of advantages. First of all, the cut made is accurate. And there is the absence of hand pressure and vibration using use. Medically it bestows some important benefits such as a lesser risk of bacterial infection in the surgical area.
The prevalence of mandibular tori in the population can range from 5%-40% and is less common than tori on the palate. Tori has been shown to be more common in Asian, Native American, and Inuit populations.
Oral tori mostly occurs in individuals with parafunctional habits like teeth clenching or bruxism. People with bruxism may have temporomandibular joint disorders or severe headaches due to the grinding of teeth. Most patients with tori have parafunctional habits and also suffer from migraine according to the research.