What are Wisdom Teeth?

They are actually our third molars. They are the last teeth to develop and erupt in to the mouth. Third molars usually erupt in the late teen years, which coincides with the passage into adulthood and is referred to by some as the age of wisdom; hence “wisdom teeth”. Unfortunately the problem arises in that these wisdom teeth are typically erupting into a jaw that is too small. Wisdom teeth are considered vestigial organs, which means that it is a structure that has little or no utility. They no longer serve a purpose in our mouths and for most of us they become problematic.

Wisdom teeth, are often referred to being either erupted, or impacted. Impacted which means they are, in some way, below the surface of the tissue or bone, or they are not in a normal position and function.

It is believed that wisdom teeth served a good purpose before we had preventive dentistry. In years past, people often lost their molar teeth due to decay at an early age. Molars come through in three sets at about ages 6, 12, and 18. These likely functioned as replacement sets.

If you would like more information, please see our informational section on Wisdom Teeth.