Oral growths called exostoses and tori are benign bony outgrowths that can arise on the roof of the mouth, under the tongue, or on the cheek side of the upper gums.
While their slow, progressive growth generally halts without intervention, their potential for causing functional impairments shouldn’t be overlooked. When bony outgrowths cause discomfort and prevent you from drinking, eating, or speaking normally, gentle tori removal in Richland, WA, from our board-certified periodontist, Dr. Vikas Puri, can alleviate these issues.
If you notice a torus in your mouth, you may be alarmed and think it’s a sign of oral cancer. Tori are always benign and typically firm, painless, symmetric bony bumps that grow slowly on both sides of the mandible or palate. In fact, in nine out of 10 cases, tori are a bilateral condition affecting the right and left sides of the mouth.
In contrast, oral cancer usually presents as an asymmetric and persistent sore, lump, or red/white patch that may bleed, cause numbness, or involve swollen lymph nodes. Although tori are considered harmless, they can cause oral health challenges, including:
While the underlying cause of tori isn’t fully understood, experts believe multiple factors, including age, oral anatomy, genetics, vitamin deficiencies, oral trauma, and higher bone density, cause them. Bruxism (teeth grinding/clenching) may also contribute to the development of tori.
Tori are usually diagnosed by a dentist or periodontist during a routine dental exam. After diagnosis, the growth is only removed at Implant & Periodontal Associates Northwest if it’s causing eating or speech impairments, impacting other teeth, or getting in the way of being fitted with dentures or braces.
Dr. Puri typically removes a tori under IV sedation or sometimes general anesthesia. After sedation takes effect, an incision is made, and the bony outgrowth is removed with specialized tools. The bone is reshaped, and the area is sutured closed. After this type of oral surgery in Richland, WA, our team will provide postoperative guidelines to help you heal and recover.
Recovery after tori surgery involves eating soft foods, proper hygiene, and over-the-counter pain medication, should you need it. You’ll return to Implant & Periodontal Associates Northwest for follow-up care and suture removal.
Significant healing occurs within two weeks, although full recovery can take up to eight weeks. The great news is that when tori cause problems, a 30–90 minute surgery offers a permanent solution with recurrence in less than 5% of cases!
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