Palatal torus: Etiology, clinical aspect, and therapeutic strategy

Abstract

Introduction: Maxillary palatal tori are benign bone tumors that elevate the median of the palate. Although there are clinical variations, palatal tori are characterized by pathognomonic clinical and radiographic criteria. Observations: Here, we present the cases of two patients with a voluminous palatal torus that caused functional problems in one and formed an anatomical obstacle to the fitting of a removable prosthetic in the other. Given their size, these tori were surgically removed under general anesthesia. The postoperative course was simple. Discussion: The etiology of palatal torus is usually multifactorial: genetic factors, masticatory forces, and para-functions could all be factors in their development and growth. Considered as anatomical variations, palatal tori are asymptomatic in most cases and require no intervention. Conclusion: Surgical management is sometimes necessary to restore physiological orofacial functions or to allow the fitting of a prosthetic without harmful compromise.