Mamelons are normal anatomical protuberances seen on incisor teeth just as they are erupting around age 6 and 7. They are named after the French word “mamelon” which means nipple. Below is a photo which shows it better than any description can:
Mamelons seen on lower incisors. This is highly unique because this is an adult! Photo Dr. Nicholas Calcaterra.
When a tooth is developing, it has multiple lobes. In incisors, those lobes are seen as mamelons while the teeth erupt. The mamelons are quickly worn down so that by the time a child has reached approximately age 10, they are no longer present.
The above photo is very unique because mamelons are rarely seen in adults. This was an adult patient in her 50s. Due to the way her upper and lower teeth came together, her mamelons did not wear away. She was proud of them!
