What is Tori in the Mouth?

Last updated Monday, November 27th, 2023

Many of my patients ask me, “What is a Tori in the Mouth?” I’m Dr. Hanna Mansoor, DDS. Owner of Smiles by Hanna Family Dentistry here in Gilbert, Arizona.

A lot of patients have a bony growth that usually grows under the tongue. Sometimes it only grows on one side, but it can also grow on both sides of the mouth. Other times, we also have patients where it grows on the palate and that is called a Torus. The ones that are found on the lower jaw are called Mandibular Tori. These can be easily removed. They are usually there because genetically the patients have them. We do not know what causes them. They can continue to grow and sometimes they can even touch each other.

The most common complaints we hear are that the patients are unable to get their routine x-rays done because it scratches the Torus or they get food stuck underneath so it can be really difficult for them to properly clean under the bony growth. If can also be painful for them to eat and chew their food effectively. If you or anyone you know suffers from this, have them come to Smiles by Hanna in Gilbert. We will get these removed in a simple, painless procedure. Thank you for watching. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us in the comments below!

Mandibular tori removal eliminates tori in the gums. Smiles by Hanna offers torus mandibularis removal via Waterlase technology. Our attentive team members answer questions like, “Is tori removal covered by insurance?” We also go over torus palatinus removal recovery.