Over the years, there has been much speculation and scientific study about why humans possess wisdom teeth, especially given that like our appendix, they seem to have no special use and eventually need to be removed.

So why do humans have wisdom teeth if we don’t even need them?

The most plausible theory points to human evolution, where our earliest ancestors feasted on a diet that consisted of meat, nuts, roots, plants, berries and other food items they collected. Given that they would have had to eat things raw as well as resorting to eating with their hands as utensils were non-existent during these primitive times, it meant they would have had needed all of their teeth, including the third molars otherwise known as wisdom teeth. Our earlier ancestors would have had larger jaws in which to accommodate these set of teeth.

This evolutionary theory suggests that from these historical times until present day, humans have adapted to the environment so much so that we no longer need all of our teeth. Food preparation such as dicing and slicing meat, cutting up fruits and vegetables and methods of cooking such as steaming, boiling, baking and frying, means that we no longer need to chew through big bits of raw meat and roots, the cooking and preparation process means that we have made it easier to eat our food. Thus the human mouth and jaw has shrunk over the course of time and hence why our wisdom teeth need to be extracted.

With human jaws no longer able to house the last set of molars that grow at the back of our mouths because there is really no room for them to grow properly, they will require extraction. If left untreated, they will often grow at an angle or not at all but just barely break through the gum surface, which can cause infection, gum disease, swelling, tooth ache and pain as well as impact other teeth and force them to push against one another and crowd. This can then lead to requiring expensive braces to get them straightened out again.

So if you wish to visit an affordable oral surgery in Melbourne or Sydney and prevent these issues, book in to see Dr Paulo Pinho and his team at The Wisdom Teeth Professionals to get your wisdom teeth removed. They will provide you with a thorough consultation; explain wisdom teeth removal costs and sort out your wisdom teeth problems! Call them now on 1300 WISDOM.