Their entry into the scene gives a painful welcome to adult life: wisdom teeth, which pierce the gums typically between 16 and 25 years of age, appear much later than the other definitive teeth. Because?
Go further. First of all for reasons of space. In order for this third row of molars to make its way into the mouth, it is necessary to wait for the lower and upper jaws to grow sufficiently: in those of children there is simply no room. As we age, the bones of the face stretch and space is created for the eruption of wisdom teeth, already present (“included”) in the gum. Often, however, the jaws do not grow to the point of guaranteeing a painless exit, which does not create problems for the other teeth. In these cases, extraction is necessary.
Diet. Our prehistoric ancestors had to chew stubborn meats, roots, raw vegetables and dried fruit, tough foods that stimulated significant jaw growth. On the contrary, modern diets are mainly based on soft foods that are easy to bite into: this is why the bones of the mouth often do not develop to their full potential today.
Backup. Another reason for the late appearance of third molars is their usefulness. Man is a primate and as such has the genes to develop wisdom teeth, but he doesn’t need them that much today. In the past it happened more often to lose or consume the other molars by chewing hard food: wisdom teeth were used “as a spare”. Today it is more difficult for the first or second molars to be replaced, but in those who have lost some, wisdom teeth are programmed to erupt and perform that function.