What are Mamelons Teeth?
Mamelons appear as small protuberance along the edges of mandibular and maxillary incisors. Just like the outer covering of other teeth, it is also made of enamel. They are recognized as a protuberance that sits on the front of a person’s teeth.
Mamelons give a scalloped and a wavy edge to the teeth. There are three mamelons present in each tooth. They appear on the newly erupted teeth. Mamelons are mostly present on the adult incisors but can be seen in primary incisors in the babies as well. Usually, these incisors wear off with age.(1)
Incisors are the teeth present in front of the mouth. They are thin and straight and are meant for biting and tearing of small pieces of food.
It is completely normal to have mamelons on the teeth and they form as a result of enamel fusing together when the tooth is developing.
These little serrations help poke the tooth through the gums and thus help the entire tooth to erupt.
What Happens To Mamelons?
Mostly the mamelons do not last for long and also there is no treatment required for them.(2) They eventually wear away through the chewing process. They smoothen out when the upper and lower front teeth come in contact.
In the case of occlusion discrepancy where the bite does not grind the mamelon, or in case of tooth eruption delay, the mamelons would not wear away by adulthood.
How To Remove Mamelon?
Mostly the mamelons fade away with the normal wear and tear and intervention of a dentist is not required. In the case of bite problems when the teeth are not wearing consistently, orthodontic treatment might be required.
Mamelons can be removed by shaving away the edges of the teeth. A dentist can perform the procedure. It is a treatment done by cosmetic dentistry, and the procedure is known as:
- Tooth reshaping
- Tooth recontouring
- Tooth shaving
- Cosmetic contouring
Files, disc, or drills are used to remove or smoothen out the edges. It is a simple treatment and does not require anaesthesia, as there is no nerve involvement.
It is a quick procedure and you can go home the same day. There is no recovery time.
Why Remove The Mamelons?
The presence of mamelon is not harmful at all, as it does not interfere with oral health. They are removed for aesthetic purposes only.
If you have mamelons present and you do not like them, speak with your dentist to get them removed.
The removal of mamelon is permanent, once removed they would not grow back.
It is extremely important to maintain good oral hygiene as it can impact overall health. If you are concerned about the look of the teeth due to mamelons, consult your dentist to get advice on the best procedure to help reduce their appearance.
