Despite their important-sounding name, wisdom teeth have no real purpose. These additional pairs of molars usually emerge in a person’s late teens or 20s, but they’re usually unnecessary for healthy ...

There is nothing wise about the way humans view wisdom teeth, according to many experts. "Removal of impacted teeth where there is no disease is controversial." Wisdom teeth, or a person's third and ...

Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars — the large, flat teeth at the back of the mouth — that usually emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. Scientists believe that wisdom teeth were essential for our ...

Getting your wisdom teeth removed can help prevent complications like tooth decay, crowding, and impaction. But this procedure, which removes the third molars that usually come in around ages 17 to 21 ...

Not everyone has wisdom teeth, which usually develop fully at the back of the mouth between the ages of 18 and 24 years. Various factors can result in a lack of wisdom teeth, including genetics and ...

Impacted wisdom teeth happen when a wisdom tooth gets lodged underneath the gum line. This can trigger irritation, pain, and ultimately lead to gum disease and tooth decay if not treated. Impacted ...

Wisdom tooth removal is a common procedure, but can wisdom teeth grow back? Wisdom teeth are surrounded by myths and misconceptions. Our wisdom teeth are so-called because they emerge later than our ...

While having your wisdom teeth out is typically seen as a teenage rite of passage, the truth is that people of all ages require orthodontic treatment to have these teeth removed. Adults generally get ...

Ariadne Letra receives funding from the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research. Seth M. Weinberg receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. Wisdom teeth are the third ...

The removal of wisdom teeth, also called third molars, is one of the most common surgical procedures in the US. We spend an estimated $3 billion a year having 10 million wisdom teeth taken out, ...