
Wisdom teeth are molars that start growing in the very back of your mouth sometime between the ages of 18 and 29. Ancient civilizations associated the time of their growth with full adulthood, which is why they are called wisdom teeth.
At one time, these molars were needed to chew food. Diets were high in fiber with little to no cooking, so having an extra set of molars was handy for sustaining an adequate diet. Times change, humans evolved, and now molars are no longer needed for survival.
Another change occurred that makes molars not only unnecessary, but problematic. Human heads got smaller. Ancient humans had bigger mouths that could accommodate these additional molars. Modern humans have smaller mouths, so wisdom teeth can crowd out other teeth and cause them to become crooked. They can also grow into the jawbone due to insufficient space.
The four wisdom teeth do not always grow at the same time. They can come in singly, dually, in triplets, or all four. You will need to watch for their eruption and see your dentist once you start to see the tooth. Your dentist will decide the best time to remove the tooth when it can be easily removed and before it causes any problems.
The extraction is like any other tooth extraction. Wisdom teeth that are growing correctly can be removed using a local anesthetic. Those growing awkwardly or impacted will require surgical removal.
Most surgical removals of wisdom teeth can be done with a local anesthetic, but a patient can choose sedation if they are anxious, can’t remain still for a long time, or want to be put in a relaxed state for the procedure.