Prevalence of torus palatinus and torus mandibularis in Germans and Thai.

Torus palatinus (TP) was recorded in 13.5% of 1317 German patients (606 men, 711 women). There was no statistically significant difference between the sexes. Torus palatinus was found in 23.1% of 947 Thai (404 men, 543 women). The difference between the sexes was significant (P less than 0.001); women were affected in 28.5%, men showed a TP in 15.8%. The differences in prevalence rates between Germans and Thai was also statistically significant (P less than 0.001). Torus mandibularis (TM) was recorded in 5.2% of the German patients with 8.6% of the men and 2.4% of the women being affected (P less than 0.001). In the Thai, 9.4% of the men and 9% of the women showed TM. The difference between the prevalence rates in Germans and Thai was significant (P less than 0.001). While generally milder forms of tori were observed in German patients, marked forms of TM were also seen in this group. While the etiology of TP and TM is still no quite clear, racial factors must definitely be considered.