Our third molars, or wisdom teeth have gained their nickname from the timing of their appearance – usually between the ages of 17 and 25, when a person leaves adolescence and is seeking higher education. Their arrival is rarely met with celebration, as these molars have a nasty habit of becoming impacted, growing in sideways, and causing general mayhem to the surrounding teeth and bone. They’re now considered vestigial organs-those that serve no purpose.
Why have wisdom teeth become such a problem? One idea considers the evolution of our diet. Our ancestors consumed coarse foods which caused tooth abrasion. The teeth effectively were worn down and became smaller, allowing more space for the wisdom teeth to erupt normally in the mouth. As we have evolved, there is less tooth abrasion from foods hence leaving little or no space for normal wisdom teeth eruption.
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