FYI-004 / SCIENCE · The Lead
Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth If They Just Cause Trouble?
Why do we have wisdom teeth if they so often get impacted or pulled? The evolutionary story of shrinking jaws and a changing diet.
You get through your teens with a full smile, and then, somewhere around age 17 to 25, a stubborn extra molar tries to shove its way in at the very back of your mouth. Sometimes it arrives fine. Often it comes in crooked, gets stuck, or has to be surgically removed. Continued inside →