Pathology · single question
A patient presents with an asymptomatic firm midline lesion on the hard palate that does not interfere with eating or speaking, and they are seeking a removable prosthesis. The MOST likely diagnosis is:
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Correct answer: A. Torus palatinus
Torus palatinus is a benign bony exostosis (exostosis) occurring on the midline of the hard palate. It is the most common oral torus, occurring in approximately 20–30% of the population. It is asymptomatic and covered by normal mucosa. It becomes clinically relevant when it interferes with a removable prosthesis — in which case surgical removal (tori reduction) may be needed before denture fabrication.
- A. ✅ CORRECT – Torus palatinus is a midline hard palate exostosis, asymptomatic, normal-colored, and clinically significant only when interfering with prosthesis construction.
- B. ❌ Fibroma is typically pedunculated or sessile soft tissue lesion from trauma — not midline hard palate bony exostosis.
- C. ❌ Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (the most common minor salivary gland malignancy) can occur on the palate but is not asymptomatic, midline, and firm without ulceration.
- D. ❌ Pleomorphic adenoma arises from minor salivary glands, most commonly in the posterior hard/soft palate junction — not midline, and usually not asymptomatic long-term.