Michigan Dental Directory

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

People often ask, "Why do we have wisdom teeth if there is no room in the jaws for them?" The answer has a lot to do with diet. In an article titled "Management of Asymptomatic Impacted Wisdom Teeth" in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, the author noted that the average, highly abrasive diet of Neolithic man wore down his teeth, which caused a reduction in molar size from front to back.

This size decrease from the abrasive food which man consumed allowed for the forward migration of the teeth and thus created adequate space for the eruption of a wisdom tooth or teeth. Less wear occurs in modern man because of the arrival of processed foods and the reduced amount of chewing necessary to consume food.

Combining this with a decrease in the loss of teeth and cavities as a result of modern dentistry requires people nowadays to address at least one impacted or partially impacted wisdom tooth through dental surgery.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Wisdom Tooth Development: Will They Fit in Your Mouth?

Wisdom tooth pain sometimes accompanies the development of these teeth, but not always. Some people's wisdom teeth fit comfortably in their mouths, while other people just don't have room for extra teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the third molars, and they are the last teeth to come in, usually during a person's late teens. Around this time, a dentist should do a dental exam and also take x-rays. The wisdom tooth dentist can then suggest the best course.

If the molars are coming in straight, there's room for them, and the patient is not experiencing any pain or discomfort, then the dentist will likely recommend a wait-and-see approach, conducting regular exams to ensure no problems are developing.

But if the teeth aren't coming in straight, if they're butting up against other teeth, if there's not enough space for them, if the patient is experiencing mouth or tooth pain -- then the dentist will suggest wisdom tooth removal.

Highly impacted teeth may require fairly intense wisdom tooth surgery. The older a person is, the more difficult this procedure will be, so it's not a good idea to postpone treating tooth impaction.

But wisdom tooth extraction can be relatively quick and easy for most other patients. In addition, some patients may not need all four teeth removed. Some people don't even develop all four molars.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.