molar: large teeth at the back of one’s mouth (top and bottom)
emerge: to appear; to come up from the surface
impacted: wedged below or between something (e.g., stuck between the jawbone and another tooth)
processed: mechanically changed or developed
evolution: the gradual development of people or things over a long period of time
Wisdom Teeth Don’t Make You Smarter
Do you have a third set of molars? In English, these molars are called your “wisdom teeth”. If you don’t have them, don’t worry! About 35% of people don’t have wisdom teeth. Their wisdom teeth may be impacted or they may not exist at all. The expression “wisdom teeth” comes from the age people usually are when these teeth emerge. The age between 17-25 is sometimes referred to as “the age of wisdom”. The emerging of the third molars has nothing to do with your brain capacity, however. Wisdom teeth emerge when a person’s dental arch becomes large enough to hold more teeth. Some people never develop a large enough space in their mouths. Others only get one wisdom tooth. Many people have wisdom teeth removed due to pain or crowding. Evolution may also play a part in why some people don’t get wisdom teeth. With forks and knives and processed food, humans don’t need as many teeth.
