Mamelons are anatomical structures that can be found on the incisal edges of newly erupted teeth. Mamelons appear in both mandibular and maxillary incisors and are usually a group of three. They look like small protuberances which are separated by tiny fissures. Mamelons are profound right after the eruption of the permanent teeth but when they get into occlusion with the antagonists they wear down and the incisal edges become straight without lobes. When an adult or a teenager has mamelons that means that there is a disorder in the occlusion. Such malocclusions can be an open bite. This is a condition when the front teeth are not in occlusion and do not touch each other.

What are dental mamelons made of?

Mamelons are extremely noticeable because they are translucent. The reason for mamelons’ translucency is that they are made of enamel. There is no dentin under the enamel structure. That makes this layer of tooth tissue to be thin enough to cause this visual effect. The other segments of the incisor’s crown are more opaque than the incisal edge which makes a huge difference in their outlook.