Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth? Do They Serve A Purpose?

Alberto Lambert

Many people wonder why do we have wisdom teeth? Many experience problems associated with their wisdom teeth. If a dentist foresees potential future problems that may be caused by wisdom teeth, they may suggest having the wisdom teeth removed. However, what is the true purpose of wisdom teeth? This article will talk about wisdom teeth and their importance of wisdom teeth. After reading the article, read on to find out about tooth extractions are performed regularly at this Richmond dental practice.

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Many people wonder why do we have wisdom teeth? Many experience problems associated with their wisdom teeth. If a dentist foresees potential future problems that may be caused by wisdom teeth, they may suggest having the wisdom teeth removed. However, what is the true purpose of wisdom teeth? This article will talk about wisdom teeth and their importance of wisdom teeth. After reading the article, read on to find out about tooth extractions are performed regularly at this Richmond dental practice.

 

What Is The Function Of Wisdom Teeth?

Many people wonder why wisdom teeth exist when most people have them extracted anyway. Do they have a special function? The answer to this is that they do not have any special function that makes them different from any other tooth.

Wisdom teeth are third molars that are located at the edge of the jawbone. The main function of wisdom teeth is for chewing. Just like any other molar tooth, wisdom teeth are meant to help a person for chewing food.

 

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

If the main point of wisdom teeth is for chewing, and we have other molars to do that job in the first place, why do we even have wisdom teeth? The reason for this is more genetic than functional.

The reason why people have wisdom teeth is that it is said that our ancestors had wider jawbones. Before we evolved into the humans we look like today, our pre-human ancestors had bigger skulls and wider jawbones, which made way for more teeth to fit on the jawbone. As evolution took its course, the number of teeth stayed the same, even if the size of our modern-day jawbones grew smaller.

 

Why Do Some People Have Their Wisdom Teeth Removed?

There are many reasons why wisdom teeth may be extracted. Since there is no special use for wisdom teeth, most dentists recommend the removal of these third molars. For most people, they have their wisdom teeth removed because the third molars are causing extreme pain and discomfort for the person.

However, even if the wisdom teeth are not currently causing any problems, some dentists may recommend their removal. The reason behind this is because the wisdom teeth may still cause problems down the line. Dentists usually advise patients to have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent any potential problems from developing later on.

 

Reasons Why Wisdom Teeth Are Removed

why do we have wisdom teethThere are many reasons why people opt to have their wisdom teeth removed. The dentist will usually advise you on what to do about your wisdom teeth, if you should keep them or if it would be a better choice to have them removed. There is a chance that keeping your wisdom teeth may cause more harm than good. Here is a list of possible reasons why dentists may advise the extraction of the wisdom teeth.

They Cause Pain

One of the most common reasons why wisdom teeth are extracted is because they cause pain. Wisdom teeth are the teeth that cause pain in most people. Even if they have not fully grown yet, they may cause toothaches and damage to the other teeth. Toothaches are very distracting and can inhibit people from concentrating and going about daily tasks properly.

The pain is usually caused by the wisdom teeth that are impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth press against other molars and cause extreme toothaches for the person. Wisdom teeth that are impacted may also cause cracks and damage to surrounding teeth because of the pressure they put on the teeth beside them.

People who report toothaches caused by wisdom teeth are usually advised to have the wisdom teeth removed to avoid pain. Most pain killers work to get rid of the pain, however, if the root problem is with the wisdom teeth, the pain will usually reoccur after some time.

The Dentist Predicts A Future Problem

Dentists usually require a patient to undergo a dental x-ray to see what is causing the pain. They will be able to predict if the wisdom teeth will cause any problems in the future based on the dental x-ray of the patient.

If the dentist sees that the wisdom teeth will grow in such a way that they will cause dental problems for the patient, they will advise the patient of the potential problems and possible solutions for them. One of the most common solutions that dentists recommend is to have the wisdom teeth extracted. Since they do not have any special function, and the patients will be able to survive despite them being removed, the easiest solution is to extract the teeth that may cause the potential problems.

There Is Not Enough Space On Your Jaw

There are some people who have teeth that are too big and a jaw that is too small. That usually results in overcrowding for the teeth. When the wisdom teeth grow in, there will not be enough space for them to crown out of the wisdom tooth to grow properly. In this situation, the dentist will recommend the wisdom teeth to be removed and for the patient to get braces.

People who have a small jaw and big teeth will most likely have impacted wisdom teeth. Even if the wisdom teeth will not have grown in yet, dentists will be able to anticipate this problem and advise the patient about possible solutions for tooth malocclusion and wisdom tooth pain.

Prevention

When it comes to the prevention of cavities and damage to surrounding teeth, as well as future tooth pain, dentists will recommend having the wisdom teeth removed. There are many people who have their wisdom teeth removed even if their dentist does not see any potential problems that may develop because of them.

These people may have had family members who had previously experienced problems caused by their wisdom teeth. These people may also opt to have their wisdom teeth removed even before any problems (or potential ones) are detected by the dentist.

 

Should We Keep Our Wisdom Teeth?

Since we have now established that our wisdom teeth do not have any extraordinary function, the next question is: “Should we keep our wisdom teeth?”. There is a lot of gray area when it comes to the answer to this question.why do we have wisdom teeth

Whether or not to keep your wisdom teeth will depend on you. If they do not cause pain, you may opt to keep your wisdom teeth. However, even if you do not feel any pain now, that may not always be the case for long. It is a good idea to approach your dentist to ask them to check your wisdom teeth. They will be able to tell you if there is a chance you will have any problems concerning your wisdom teeth in the future.

 

Final Thoughts

If you are worried about your wisdom teeth, it is a good idea to visit your dentist. All your other teeth may be healthy, and keeping your wisdom teeth may jeopardize that. We only have wisdom teeth because our ancestors passed them down to us through genetics.

The truth is that we do not need to keep our wisdom teeth because they have the same function as our other teeth. They are not crucial to survival. The important thing is to keep your whole mouth clean and healthy. No matter what types of oral issues may arise because of your wisdom teeth, it will always be easier to solve the problems if the teeth are not cavity-ridden and covered in plaque and tartar.

If you have any pain in your wisdom teeth, the key is to seek treatment from your dentist as soon as you can. The sooner you are able to have your teeth checked, the more chances you will have to repair any damage to the teeth. After having a dental x-ray done, your dentist will also be able to explain to you if it will be worth it to keep your wisdom teeth or not.

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