Are Wisdom Teeth Vestigial Organs? Find Out Now!
Vestigial organs are organs that have remained as part of our bodies despite evolution and have become non-functional. Whether wisdom teeth are vestigial organs or not entirely depends on their functionality in the present times. While other organs in the human body like the appendix have been declared to be vestigial, the issue of wisdom teeth is still controversial, and it is not clear whether they are vestigial or not. However, experts in anthropology have declared wisdom teeth as vestigial organs because of the fact that they are no longer useful. The claim is that our jaws have evolved over time with the change in our diet, making wisdom teeth useless. As a result, most wisdom teeth erupt impacted, leading to a need to extract them, so they don’t affect the functioning of other teeth.
Why wisdom teeth are considered vestigial
Wisdom teeth were present in our ancestors because they had a rougher tougher diet that consisted of raw foods that required more chewing and digestion. This required them to have more molars (which are now wisdom teeth). However, with the change of diet to softer, processed, and cooked food over time, wisdom teeth have become rather useless over time, hence the claim that they are vestigial. The science of it is that our jaws have shrunk over time, making the eruption of wisdom teeth a rather complicated affair because our jaws cannot accommodate an extra set of teeth. This is the explanation most experts give in regards to whether wisdom teeth are vestigial or not.
Wisdom teeth removal
Since wisdom teeth have been considered vestigial structures in the human anatomy, should they be removed or not? The answer to this question varies, as will be stated below.
In the wake of advancements in dental technology, medical experts recommended that wisdom teeth had to be removed as soon as they erupted. In fact, at some point, children had their molars extracted to create room for the eruption of wisdom teeth. This, however, has changed over time because of the complications associated with the extraction of wisdom teeth.
At this point, wisdom teeth are only removed when there is a need to remove them. Impacted wisdom teeth, for instance, can cause a lot of pain and complications for the surrounding teeth hence the need to remove them. If you experience any sort of pain or discomfort, you’re your wisdom teeth erupt, visit our dentist in Melbourne for a special diagnosis to determine if your wisdom teeth need to be extracted or not. However, if your wisdom teeth erupt normally like your other teeth and are not causing any problems in your mouth, there is no need to extract them.
Bottom Line
This goes to show that not all wisdom teeth have to be removed. However, when wisdom teeth become impacted or cause dental problems such a tooth decay, they need to be extracted to avoid complications that arise from them. Our dentist in Melbourne specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of any problems associated with wisdom teeth and wisdom teeth removal. Be sure to pay a visit and get professional diagnosis and treatment, including professional wisdom teeth extraction.