Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Oral Tori
Summary
Oral tori are benign bony protuberances arising on the alveolar ridges of the mouth, most frequently manifesting as torus palatinus on the hard palate and torus mandibularis on the lingual aspect of the mandible. These exostoses develop through a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental influences and functional stresses such as parafunctional habits and masticatory load. Their prevalence varies widely across populations, from under 5% in some European groups to upwards of 50% in selected Asian and Indigenous communities. Palatal tori often present as midline, flat or nodular swellings, whereas mandibular tori tend to appear bilaterally and symmetrically in the canine–premolar region. Typically asymptomatic, larger or irregularly shaped tori may interfere with speech, mastication and the fitting of dental prostheses. Clinical assessment encompasses visual inspection, palpation and, where morphology requires clarification, three-dimensional imaging such as computed tomography. Management is conservative when function and hygiene remain uncompromised, with surgical removal reserved for cases where tori impair oral function or prosthetic rehabilitation.
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Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Oral Tori publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in prevalence and clinical characteristics of oral tori across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Torus palatinus: A benign osseous protuberance arising along the midline of the hard palate.
Torus mandibularis: A benign bony growth commonly located on the lingual surface of the mandible in the premolar region.
Exostosis: A localized overgrowth of bone projecting outward from the cortical surface.
References
- Computed Tomographic Analysis of Mandibular Tori and Their Relationship to Remaining Teeth. Diagnostics (2025).
- Oral Tori Findings in an Adult Albanian Population: A Single-Center Pilot Study. Dentistry Journal (2024).
- The Prevalence of Maxillary and Mandibular Exostosis in the Mississippi Population: A Retrospective Study. Surgeries (2025).
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