Torus Palatinus Recognition — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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EasyOral PathologyTorus Palatinus RecognitionORE Part 1

A patient presents with a painless, hard, bony lump on the midline of the hard palate. It has been present for years and has not changed in size. The overlying mucosa is intact and thin. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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Correct answer: D — Torus palatinus

Torus palatinus is a benign exostosis arising from the midline of the hard palate, characterised by painless, hard, bony growth that is typically slow-growing and may stabilise after decades. The intact but thin overlying mucosa is typical and reflects the vascular nature of the underlying bone prominence. Pleomorphic adenomas virtually never arise in the midline (salivary gland tumours favour posterior and lateral palate). Abscess would present with pain, swelling and signs of infection. Metastasis would be progressive and symptomatic. Osteoma is rare and not typically midline. The clinical presentation—midline location, painlessness, hardness, bony consistency, and years of stability—is pathognomonic for torus palatinus, one of the most common intraoral bony lesions.

Reference: García-García A, Martínez-González JM, Gómez-Font R, et al. Current status of the torus palatinus and torus mandibularis. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2010;15(4):e353-60; Harish V. Torus Palatinus. StatPearls Publishing. 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28275284/