What causes a Mandibuluar Torus?!
Question:
What causes a Mandibuluar Torus?
Just found out I have it on both sides of my lower jaw. I've read it is genetic, also have heard it has to do with teeth grinding.
Any general information/insight would be appreciated.
Answers:
Look up "torus" and you'll find tons of information, all saying that it's harmless. You might scratch the tissue on a torus a little more easily than if you didn't have it, but that's about it.
Tori are not uncommon. They may be more prevalent in some ethnic groups. Personally, I see an association between people who clench or grind their teeth and the presence of tori. I think it is the body's attempt to deposit more bone at points of flexure to strengthen the bone, but it's "bone gone wild," like a pitcher's elbow or a heal spur.
Of course, I did not see YOUR mouth or YOUR lump, so this is just an educated guess. Your dentist can identify a torus in about half a second. If you have one on the roof of your mouth, the odds are that you also have one on each side of your lower jaw next to the tip of your tongue. Often people have these and don't notice them until someone points them out. Go look under your tongue in the mirror. If you have them (mandibular tori - plural), it's almost certain that this is what you have on the roof of your mouth.