Each year, approximately 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted from 5 million people, according to research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine. What’s the point of wisdom teeth if they are just going to be removed? Are they just useless “bonus” teeth that always show up late? The surprising truth requires looking back to our ancient ancestors. Keep reading to learn about the history of third molars and why dentists often recommend wisdom tooth extraction.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the molars that develop in the very back of a person’s jaw. Most people have one wisdom tooth in each corner of their smile (four total). Because this third set of molars typically erupts later in life, when a person is between 17 and 21 years old, they are known as wisdom teeth. After all, as a teenager or young adult, you know a lot more than you did when you were a kid and the majority of your permanent teeth grew in!
Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
The first modern humans, known as Homo sapiens, evolved from their early hominid predecessors between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago. Researchers believe that wisdom teeth helped these early humans to consume their primitive diet. Tough foods like roots, nuts, raw plants, and uncooked meat all required a lot of chewing. For these hunter-gatherers, having a third set of molars was likely very beneficial.
Fast-forward a couple hundred thousand years, however, and things have changed – a lot! Today people typically cook meat and other foods to soften them before eating. Humans also mastered long ago how to use knives, forks, and other utensils that make it easier to consume food. As a result, some anthropologists believe humans are evolving beyond needing wisdom teeth. In fact, according to the Dental Research Journal, up to 37 percent of people never even grow one or more of their third molars.
Why Are Wisdom Teeth Often Removed?
In addition to a tougher diet, early hominids had larger jaws than modern humans and could easily fit a third set of molars. Today, however, many men and women do not have enough space left in their smiles for late-arriving wisdom teeth. As a result, many third molars become impacted, which means they erupt at a sideways angle, only partially erupt through the gums, or become trapped beneath the gum line.
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause a number of serious problems, such as:
- Crowded teeth
- Jaw pain and facial swelling
- Bite issues
- Higher risk of tooth decay
- Cysts under the gums
If you (or your children) are between the ages of 17 to 21, don’t hesitate to talk to an experienced oral surgeon about wisdom tooth removal to avoid these issues.
About the Practice
The five board-certified oral surgeons at South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery have decades of combined experience extracting third molars. With three convenient locations in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and Royal Palm Beach, they are a go-to destination in the region for wisdom tooth removal. To learn more about wisdom teeth and when they need to be extracted, visit the South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery website or call 561-743-8311.