You may have noticed small bumps on your teeth when you look in the mirror, or perhaps on your child’s teeth when you look at them closely. Dentists have a name for those little bumps: mamelons. Are mamelons normal, or is something wrong?
Mamelons are small ridges on the tips of the upper and lower 4 front teeth, which gives them a scalloped appearance. They’re not harmful and usually wear down and go away as you get older. If you’re worried about how mamelons make your teeth look, your dentist can offer treatments.
Mamelons appear on the incisors, the flat teeth at the front of the mouth. The rounded protuberances are usually found on the adult teeth (permanent teeth), although some children have them on their baby teeth (also called milk, deciduous, or primary teeth).
Mamelons appear most often on the maxillary central incisors (the upper 2 front teeth), but they can appear on any of the other incisors as well.
Mamelons look like little bumps on the incisal edge of the upper and lower front teeth. Genetics determine most of their shape and size. Mamelon shape and number among children varies more on the top teeth than the bottom teeth.
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Mamelons are small extensions of enamel, the hard outermost layer of the tooth. As the tooth develops, the enamel grows out toward the edge of the tooth. As the tooth finishes growing, small bumps or protrusions of enamel form at the end, creating a scalloped look.
A vast majority of children (more than 90%) have mamelons on their permanent incisors. The mamelons gradually wear down as they use their teeth to bite during normal chewing. In most cases, the incisors appear smooth by early adulthood, depending on how the person chews.
Mamelons typically begin to wear down within months of teeth erupting through the gums. They usually wear away by the time a child turns 10. However, it’s not uncommon for children to have mamelons into their teens, particularly if the mamelons were large to begin with.
Females are more likely to have mamelons that don’t wear away when they chew than males.
Mamelons also tend to stay around longer if you have a bite problem or occlusion like:
Orthodontic treatment can help correct these bite problems, which would allow the teeth to chew correctly and eventually wear down tooth mamelons naturally.
Dentists frequently remove mamelons by contouring the edge of the front teeth. It’s also called tooth reshaping or recontouring. Mamelon removal typically doesn’t require an anesthetic, so it’s a painless and relatively simple procedure.
To prepare for tooth reshaping, your dentist will take x-rays of your front teeth to ensure that your child is a good candidate for the procedure and the enamel is thick enough and avoid exposing the dentin layer underneath the enamel.
During reshaping, the dentist will gently file or grind away the enamel at the very edge of the tooth. They may use a dental file, a disk, or a drill to remove the enamel and smooth the edge, removing the mamelons in the process.
Dentists specializing in cosmetic dentistry and pediatric dentistry do most tooth reshaping. If you’re considering having your child’s mamelons removed, be sure their dentist has experience contouring teeth so they can have the best smile possible.
Almost all mamelons will disappear on their own with time, so if your child has them, it can be beneficial to wait before opting for a procedure.
It’s important to note that most mamelons wear away over time without any intervention. This means that for many children, a procedure to remove mamelons is unnecessary. However, if they persevere into adulthood or are causing your child distress, tooth reshaping is available.
Here are some common reasons why it’s done:
The potential drawbacks of mamelon removal include:
Because mamelon removal is a cosmetic procedure, it’s usually not covered by insurance. Most patients pay between $50 and $500 out of pocket per tooth for tooth reshaping.
Just like the rest of the tooth, mamelons form long before teeth erupt through the gums. A vital part of giving your child healthy teeth is supporting the development of new teeth long before you can even see them.
Here are some ways you can help your child develop healthy teeth:
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Taking proper care of your child’s teeth as they develop and emerge is an investment in their future health. It’s much easier to maintain healthy teeth and treat possible root causes than to fix the issues that come with dental decay.
If your child has mamelons, they will likely disappear with time. If not, minimally invasive procedures are available to treat this minor cosmetic issue.
Taking proper care of your child’s teeth as they develop and emerge is an investment in their future health. It’s much easier to maintain healthy teeth and treat possible root causes than to fix the issues that come with dental decay.
If your child has mamelons, they will likely disappear with time. If not, minimally invasive procedures are available to treat this minor cosmetic issue.
