Why Do My Teeth Have Ridges?

The ridges are also known as mamelons. They are rounded bumps on the edge of a tooth. Like the other parts of the tooth’s outer covering, they are made of enamel. In French, the word mamelon means “nipple.” It refers to the way each bump protrudes from a tooth.

Ridges are Most Common on Kids

You may notice ridges on the permanent teeth of a child. However, adults can have them, as well. The ridges appear on a child’s teeth when their permanent teeth start growing. The mamelons vary from one person to another. Some of them are prominent, while others are subtle. If the edges are rough, ridges may make your child’s teeth look uneven. They are commonly found on the upper and lower permanent lateral and central incisors. Mamelons are only found on newly erupted incisor teeth. Usually, they are found on permanent incisors. In some cases, they can be seen on primary incisors too.

They Appear as Adult Teeth Start Growing

The ridges appear when permanent teeth start growing at a young age. Mamelons are formed from the enamel, which fuses together when a child’s teeth are developing underneath their gums. A child’s front teeth are formed as lobes that are fused before they break through the gum tissue. When adult teeth from underneath the gum tissue, three types of cells line the edge of the teeth, making it easier for the teeth to break through the gum tissue.

They are Not an Oral Health Problems Symptom

When the teeth erupt, some parents think that the teeth have been damaged. However, there’s no need to worry as this is just the teeth ridges helping the tooth to grow through the gums. Mamelons are rare in adults as they wear slowly. They are not considered major oral health issues as wear away early on in a person’s life. Finally, although the ridges are not threats to your oral health, they have no benefit either. However, you can talk to a professional dentist to offer a solution, depending on whether you want to fix mamelons only or you intend to take care of other issues as well.

A dentist will examine a patient’s ridges and determine the best way to respond. There are several ways of getting rid of teeth ridges if they are problematic. After examination, your dentist will recommend the best course of action.