Prevention and Treatment Options for Mouth Tori
While it is not always possible to prevent mouth tori, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing these growths or managing them effectively:
Good Oral Hygiene: Maintaining proper oral hygiene can help prevent gum irritation and reduce the risk of trauma that could lead to the development of tori.
Manage Bruxism: If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw, wearing a nightguard or taking other measures to manage bruxism can reduce the pressure on your jawbone and potentially prevent tori from forming.
Regular Dental Checkups: Routine dental visits at Smile 24 Dentistry in Phoenix can help detect tori early, allowing your dentist to monitor the growths and address any potential issues before they become problematic.
Healthy Diet: While the link between diet and tori development is not fully understood, eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can support overall oral health.
For many individuals, treatment for mouth tori is unnecessary, especially if the growths are small and asymptomatic. However, in certain situations, treatment may be required to alleviate discomfort or prevent complications.
When is Treatment Necessary?
Interference with Oral Appliances: If tori prevent the proper fit of dentures, retainers, or other dental devices, treatment may be recommended to ensure comfort and functionality.
Chronic Irritation: Large or prominent tori that become frequently irritated by food, oral appliances, or trauma may need to be removed to prevent pain or infection.
Speech or Eating Difficulties: In rare cases, tori may grow large enough to interfere with speech or eating, making removal necessary.
Non-Surgical Treatment
In many cases, non-surgical treatments can help manage the symptoms of tori without the need for invasive procedures. Some non-surgical options include:
Custom Oral Appliances: If tori interfere with the fit of dentures or other dental devices, custom-fitted oral appliances can be designed to accommodate the growths.
Dietary Adjustments: For individuals whose tori are exacerbated by bruxism, adjusting the diet to reduce stress on the jaw can help minimize discomfort.
Monitoring: For small, asymptomatic tori, regular monitoring by your dentist may be all that is needed to ensure they do not cause future problems.
Surgical Treatment
In cases where mouth tori are causing significant discomfort, complications, or interference with oral function, surgical removal may be recommended. Tori removal is typically performed by an oral surgeon and involves the excision of the bony growths.
The procedure is usually straightforward and is performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon will carefully remove the excess bone, smooth the area, and close the incision with stitches. Recovery from tori removal surgery is typically quick, with most patients resuming normal activities within a few days.
Smile 24 Dentistry in Phoenix’s Biltmore area evaluates mouth tori and determines whether treatment is necessary and gives a referral to a specialist.