The Purpose of Wisdom Teeth

Just like the tail bone and appendix, wisdom teeth are relics of human’s past ancestors. When our ancestors ate more primitive foods, such as uncooked meats and hard grains, their molars became easily damaged. Therefore, they evolved to grow an extra set of molars midway through their life to replace the ones those they were no longer able to use.

These wisdom teeth usually begin coming in around the age of 15 and are fully formed by the age of 25. Because by this age, the jaw is fully developed, wisdom teeth must bust through hard bone to protrude into the mouth. This process is the cause of the pain we feel from wisdom teeth and the reason that our expert in dental extractions in West Hollywood often recommends having them removed. Also, other teeth can block them from coming in, so there is some pain caused by our fully developed teeth shifting, much the same as the discomfort associated with orthodontic procedures.

Because many people’s wisdom teeth grow in just fine, they are able to retain them. But for those that have any problems with the process, our West Hollywood dentist is quick to recommend extracting them because, not only do we not require this extra set of molars any longer, but they can actually do harm to perfectly healthy teeth.

If you or your teenager are beginning to feel pain in the back of the mouth, and you believe it is associated with wisdom teeth coming in, contact our office in West Hollywood today to see if having these teeth extracted will solve the problem.