Jeanette posted an interesting observation about a palatal torus.  All
 pathology books that I have read state that tori are all genetic.  A study I
read from Sweden or one of the Scandinavian countries showed that 5% of all
new born children had  tori.  I did not really believe that study because I
have never seen a palatal torus on a child younger than 8 years of age - but
I see many palatal as well as huge buccal (cheek side) and lingual (tongue
side) tori on both the upper and lower arches on adults (I will show these to
you at the presentation).  I can definitely see how these could interfere
with breastfeeding.

You will find tori on adults who are very intense, internalize their
emotions, driving personality types, as well as strong clenchers and bruxers.
 If you, your spouse, or  anyone you know has this type personality - check
out their mouth and you may see/feel hard bumps of bone lining their jaws
and/or the roof of the mouth.  Some tori are genetic - but most are due to
clenching, bruxing, or having improper side forces on teeth due to
mal-occlusions.

Question for all of you - do you see as many as 5% of the new borns that have
these bumps of bone on their palates or around their upper or lower ridges?
 If you see as many as 5%, and I have not seen ANY on children under age 8,
then there is a possibility that the action of the tongue during
breastfeeding might remold the palate to a more normal state.  This would not
apply to bottle fed infants.  A good follow up for those who have noted a
palatal torus in a new born would be to check the child at an older age to
see if the torus had smoothed out.  I really do not think it will.  Jeanette
- you might periodically check the baby to see if any changes have occurred
since you first saw the torus.

"We only see what we know, therefore we must know to serve"!

Brian Palmer DDS - Hot 90 and windy in KC today!