Everything You Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are the four last teeth to develop in the mouth. Many people associate wisdom teeth with surgery, which has become its own sort of rite-of-passage for many young adults. However, not all wisdom teeth need to be removed.
When Do Wisdom Teeth Come In?
Wisdom teeth don’t form in the mouth until early adolescence. They will begin to show up on dental X-rays once they develop underneath the gums around the ages of 8 to 15. For some people, wisdom teeth never form.
Once wisdom teeth form, they can take several years to grow through the gums. Wisdom teeth usually grow out, or erupt, between the ages of 17 and 21. However, in some cases, wisdom teeth never erupt or only partially break through the gums.
Where Are Wisdom Teeth Located?
Wisdom teeth are located in the very back of the mouth, after the second set of molars. Not everyone will have all four wisdom teeth, but if you do, you will have a wisdom tooth at the end of each side of your lower and upper jaw.
Wisdom teeth first form deep underneath the gums, in the jawbone. As the teeth become longer they’ll appear closer to the surface of the gums. The roots develop and are embedded in the alveolar bone, which lines the top and bottom jaw.
Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
Researchers believe our early human ancestors had larger jaws and more teeth. The extra teeth helped our ancestors more easily eat tough, uncooked foods. But now that humans can cook and make food softer, jaws have gotten smaller in size. That means many people’s jaws are too small for wisdom teeth to come in correctly.