Is there an evolutionary reason for getting an additional set of molars in late adolescence, or do we just happen to be made that way?
Why do we get wisdom teeth?
- Thread starter visceral_instinct
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Enmos
Valued Senior Member
What do you mean ? Like an extra set of molars in case you lost a few ?
Wisdom teeth are generally weak compared to normal molars. That's one of the reasons they are often extracted. They are pretty useless.
You have to remember that in the ancient days people didn't get as old as we get, not by far.
They got as old as we do. Just not as many of them.
And I don't believe that wisdom teeth are weaker than other molars. That isn't the reason they are pulled.
They are pulled because they crowd teeth and our society values straight teeth.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
yes they did! Just not in the quantities that we do.
Are they? I didn't know that. What usually happens, do they loosen or break?
I actually think they're really cool. I like mine, they are huge and jagged due to not yet being worn down. I'm strange, I know.
That actually does make sense to some degree. Hard to lose all 6 of your molars on either side.
I still have all mine as well.
My son was born without them. (He also has one pupil larger than the other) I tell him he's a mutant.
No, they didn’t.
It is my understanding that wisdom teeth are not routinely extracted. They are extracted if they are causing problems. If not, they are left alone AFAIK. I have a few (adult) friends with at least some wisdom teeth. The problem is that they often erupt underneath the molars in front of them (impacted wisdom teeth). This is the reason I had all 4 of mine removed.
yes they did
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
No, they didn't..
It seems you were right about them not being weak though. Wisdom teeth often develop problems because they are hard to reach with a toothbrush. Also, if they are not fully emerged bacteria tend to accumulate between the gums there.
So it only seems that they are weaker.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
See my previous post
Yay for overlarge, 4 pointed dagger molars.
See my previous post
Ah, sorry...I posted this before you posted yours.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
No they didn't unless you accept the Bible as valid geneology.
Making it up to 70-80 was really a miracle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy
but anyway, I was wondering about the wisdom teeth too. The kid just got X-rayed and we might have to pull all of them. What's the point of it, when lots of people don't even get wisdom teeth??
The gods should have made people like sharks, once a tooth goes, a new comes in the place of it. Then we wouldn't need dentists!!
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Maybe, but that doesn't mean none of them did.
One of the Egyptian kings, Ramses 2 lived to be over 90 years old and fathered over 100 children.
"He was born around 1303 BC and at age fourteen, Ramesses was appointed Prince Regent by his father Seti I. He is believed to have taken the throne in his early 20s and to have ruled Egypt from 1279 BC to 1213 BC for a total of 66 years and 2 months, according to Manetho. He was once said to have lived to be 99 years old, but it is more likely that he died in his 90th or 91st year. If he became king in 1279 BC as most Egyptologists today believe, he would have assumed the throne on May 31, 1279 BC, based on his known accession date of III Shemu day 27. Ramesses II celebrated an unprecedented 14 sed festivals during his reign—more than any other pharaoh. On his death, he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings;his body was later moved to a royal cache where it was discovered in 1881, and is now on display in the Cairo Museum."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramesses_2
"He was born around 1303 BC and at age fourteen, Ramesses was appointed Prince Regent by his father Seti I. He is believed to have taken the throne in his early 20s and to have ruled Egypt from 1279 BC to 1213 BC for a total of 66 years and 2 months, according to Manetho. He was once said to have lived to be 99 years old, but it is more likely that he died in his 90th or 91st year. If he became king in 1279 BC as most Egyptologists today believe, he would have assumed the throne on May 31, 1279 BC, based on his known accession date of III Shemu day 27. Ramesses II celebrated an unprecedented 14 sed festivals during his reign—more than any other pharaoh. On his death, he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings;his body was later moved to a royal cache where it was discovered in 1881, and is now on display in the Cairo Museum."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramesses_2
Some peoples jaws can support wisdom teeth, most can't and they never break through or they cause jaw crowding.
F**king kings, imagine how long his millions of subjects lived. You can live pretty fucking long when well cared for, for example house cats usually live twice as long as feral cats.
F**king kings, imagine how long his millions of subjects lived. You can live pretty fucking long when well cared for, for example house cats usually live twice as long as feral cats.
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