Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are vestigial, meaning they used to serve a purpose for our human ancestors. They were third molars that helped ancient humans break down plant tissue while chewing. But for the average person today, they usually cause dental complications when they grow in. Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. They are named wisdom teeth because they appear late in a person's life, when they are "wiser" relative to when regular teeth emerge in childhood. When they grow in, they are often misaligned and can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jaw, and nerves in the mouth. Sometimes, they can also become entrapped in gum tissue, never fully emerging. If this happens, they are called "impacted." Teeth that are "impacted" can become more vulnerable to decay and the spread of gum disease. For these reasons, many individuals monitor the development of their wisdom teeth with assistance from their dentist. One may take X-rays to monitor the alignment of wisdom teeth. If complications arise, removal is usually the option. Removal of a fully grown-in wisdom tooth is relatively simple, like extracting any tooth. This procedure is usually easier for younger individuals since the roots are not as fully developed. Recovery from the procedure often takes longer for older individuals. But if the wisdom teeth are "impacted", the process becomes complicated and usually involves an incision into the gum line for the tooth's removal. If the wisdom tooth is embedded in the jaw-line, then a portion of the bone above the tooth will be removed. Following that, the wisdom tooth itself is removed in small pieces, which can minimize the amount of bone that has to be removed from the jaw. Unfortunately, for many people these evolutionary dental remnants only create problems for their health. But recent scientific discoveries may have found a greater purpose for wisdom teeth. In 2008, Japanese scientists successfully harvested stem cells from wisdom teeth. Since wisdom tooth extractions are such a common procedure, they are many benefits to this discovery. For instance, individuals can now decide to have stem cells from their wisdom teeth saved, in case they ever need them for health purposes later in life.