Oral & maxillofacial2 min read

Tori: what they are, and when they need removing

Bony growths in the mouth that are usually harmless. Why they form, whether they keep growing, and the few reasons to remove them.

Stone Surgical ArtsOriginally published November 15, 2021Updated September 9, 2026

Perspective from Stone Surgical Arts

Tori are extra deposits of bone in the jaw, and one of the most common questions about them is whether they will keep growing. They are benign, and most people who have them need nothing done.

A thought to keep

Tori are usually harmless and usually stable. Removal is considered for a functional reason, not because a torus exists.

What tori are

A torus is an area of extra bone on the jaw. On the roof of the mouth it is called a torus palatinus; along the inner surface of the lower jaw, mandibular tori. They are covered by normal gum tissue and are not tumours.

They are benign. Finding one is common, and on its own it is not a reason for treatment.

Do they keep growing?

Most tori grow slowly to a point and then stop, typically once the jaws have finished developing. Continued rapid change is not the usual pattern, and is worth mentioning to a clinician if you notice it.

The cause is not settled. Both inherited factors and habits such as heavy clenching or grinding have been proposed, and neither explanation accounts for every case.

When removal is considered

The usual reasons are practical. A torus can prevent a denture from seating properly and cause irritation where the denture rests on it. A large lower torus can trap food beneath it. Occasionally speech is affected.

Removal may also be recommended before other treatment that needs the area to be a particular shape. In each case the reason is a function that is being interfered with.

What to ask

If removal is suggested, ask what specifically it will solve, what the recovery involves and what happens if you leave it. A torus that is causing no trouble can reasonably be left alone and reviewed.

If you have been told you have tori and are simply wondering about them, that is a normal question and a short conversation at a routine appointment.

Adapted from the Stone Surgical Arts archive and updated for clarity. This article offers general information; an individual consultation is needed for treatment advice.