so why do we have wisdom teeth?

[rakuenso]

Man... I just got all 4 taken put, without being put to sleep.

 

Damn.

 

So my Q is: why the hell do we have them anyways? I woulda thought they were a negative trait to have (Since it crunches your teeth)...

 

oy

[ecoli]

I'm guessing because it gives us an extra mash when we chew. The problem is, evolution sometimes doesn't get rid of bad traits, so we need to get the teeth removed.

[jdurg]

Probably just evolutionary remnants from when our species had bigger mouths and were able to fit all of the teeth in there. In reality, there's no need to ever have wisdom teeth taken out if they aren't causing any problems. Then again, we also have people who need to have other teeth removed because they don't have enough room in their mouth.

 

I just think that as we have evolved into the species that we have become today, the size of our jaw and mouth has decreased yet the number of teeth have remained the same.

[YT2095]

actualy quite the opposite of your unfortunate situation, I`m Thankfull I have my wisdom teeth!

they`ve Never given me an Ounce of trouble ever, in fact I find them quite usefull as I have a few other teeth missing.

so I`m perfectly happy having mine

 

not withstanding that though, guess it`s a bit like our Appendix, that`s more of a liability now than it used to be when it functioned as our diet demanded.

now it`s largely redundant.

 

I guess that in a Different world situ, those Without these teeth or appendix (born that way) would outlive those that had them, and then over a 1000 generations hardly anyone would have them.

but for NOW, that`s Not likely

[gcol]

Wisdom teeth stop your lower lip from disappearing up your nostrils after your other teeth have fallen out.

[olifhar]

Like all Catarrhines, humans have the dental formula 2.1.3.3. So, according to presently accepted scientific theories of human evolution the common ancestor of hominins, apes, and all old-world monkeys had a third molar... though I wonder if it is a wisdom tooth in the sense that it comes much later than the second molar in other species. Anyone?

 

Probably just evolutionary remnants from when our species had bigger mouths and were able to fit all of the teeth in there.

 

Interesting.

 

Neandertals had a retromolar space, while modern do not. One might surmise that they did not have problems with wisdom teeth. However the retromolar space a unqiuely derived trait, and sets H. neanderthalensis apart from other hominins as well.

 

Did early anatomically modern humans have painful problems with their widsom teeth? Or even, how far back in recorded history do we see evidence of impacted wisdom teeth? Perhaps the wisdom tooth problem is a fairly recent development-- either a human structural change, or something elicted by lifestyle?

 

Full disclosure:

 

My wisdom teeth are fine and dandy.

[lucaspa]

Neandertals had a retromolar space, while modern do not. One might surmise that they did not have problems with wisdom teeth. However the retromolar space a unqiuely derived trait, and sets H. neanderthalensis apart from other hominins as well.

 

Then it would be a derived trait of Neandertals as they diverged from H. erectus. H. sapiens and H. neandertalis are sibling species.

 

Did early anatomically modern humans have painful problems with their widsom teeth? Or even, how far back in recorded history do we see evidence of impacted wisdom teeth? Perhaps the wisdom tooth problem is a fairly recent development-- either a human structural change, or something elicted by lifestyle?

 

That impacted wisdom teeth is a fairly recent development is probable:

"Lombardi96 concluded, ‘Dental crowding is endemic among technologically advanced populations and uncommon in primitive groups. The significant elements in the development of most dental crowding are mesial migration and the lack of inter proximal attrition. Mesial migration of the posterior teeth provides the functional replacement for the tooth surface lost to attrition because of the rigors of a primitive diet. In modern man there is little attrition of the teeth because of a soft, processed diet; this can result in dental crowding and impaction of the third molars.’

 

In short, this theory concludes that ‘ … inter proximal wear is highly correlated with the chewing force required by the diet. A diet consisting largely of tough foods, such as nuts, seeds, fibrous vegetables, and partially cooked meats, requires high chewing forces that cause lateral movement of the teeth relative to each other. This rubbing of adjacent teeth is the cause of inter proximal wear. The amount of particulate matter or grit in the diet is a secondary factor in inter proximal wear, although it accounts for most of the occlusal wear. Advanced populations that consume a diet composed largely of cooked meats and vegetables, as well as processed foods, do not require the large chewing forces that lead to lateral movement of the teeth and inter proximal wear. The low incidence of crowding in primitive populations seemingly results from the high degree of inter proximal attrition and not from a more harmonious concordance of tooth and jaw size.’97"

 

Amazingly enough, this useful information comes from AiG. http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v12/i3/wisdomteeth.asp They think it is evidence against evolution. Of course it is not, only against the subsidiary hypothesis that impacted wisdom teeth are due to the evolution of decreased jaw size.