# Do you still have your wisdom teeth? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916 "2013-11-27T14:57:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/21 "2013-11-27T17:12:37Z")
Still have mine. For a long time I had a dentist who thought that the vast majority of wisdom teeth removals were unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/22 "2013-11-27T18:17:19Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > You’re missing an option from your poll: > > _Never had 'em removed and never been told I need to._ Yup. My wisdom teeth came in during a period when I wasn’t seeing a dentist. Had no problems. When I finally saw a dentist again, he filled a few small cavities & didn’t say a thing about the wisdom teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/23 "2013-11-27T18:30:06Z")
I have all of mine (I am 61) but have never had any dentist pressure me to have them removed. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/24 "2013-11-27T18:43:12Z")
I chose the first answer only because it’s the closest to my situation. I have all my wisdom teeth, but no dentist ever mentioned removing them. It wasn’t necessary. However, that’s because I had four bicuspids removed in my teens as part of my orthodonture work. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/25 "2013-11-27T19:07:55Z")
My started to erupt weirdly, and I had dental surgery with general anesthesia to remove them. Apparently, the tooth buds ‘decided’ they wanted two sets of roots and no crown. That would have been rather unpleasant if allowed to continue. I remember waking from the anesthesia as sick as a vampire on a bender because of all the blood I had swallowed. Even now, direct sunlight bothers me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/26 "2013-11-27T19:18:16Z")
I had them removed (and what a bitch it was!) on recommendation of my orthodontist. The x-rays he showed me were clear though; if they were to ‘grow out’ they would very likely be pushing my other teeth all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/27 "2013-11-27T20:15:28Z")
I had mine out because I had a lot of crowding and they hoped that by removing my wisdom teeth and putting braces on, it would help. It did. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/28 "2013-11-27T20:26:59Z")
My choice was not there: I still have all four of them and the dentist never told me I should have them out. He’s dead now. Coincidence? I think not. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/29 "2013-11-27T20:37:48Z")
I had mine removed because they were going to come in “wrong”. What I remember most about it was my dentist hemming and hawing before telling me that the dental surgeon was…a woman! “Is that all right with you?” I asked him, “Is this the 1990’s or the 1890’s? Why should I care if she’s a woman?” The mind boggles… ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/30 "2013-11-27T21:03:16Z")
I have all four without problems, as does my brother. Both sisters had to have all four pulled. My only adult daughter still has hers although they thought they were going to come in at angles, they straightened out as they erupted. Having had multiple kids in braces and having had kind of irregular lower front teeth as a kid that are now only one slight tick from straight (tiny overlap just left of center), I think dentists are too eager to slap kids in braces and pull “misaligned” wisdom teeth. My advice: wait until there really is a problem as an adult, or at least a late adolescent. Many misalignments fix themselves without no help from nobody. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/31 "2013-11-27T21:19:20Z")
I’ve had one removed. The other three are still there. I’m 38. The dentist is suggesting I remove one other one. After my last experience, I am holding off on that for the moment. They are not bothering me in any way. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/32 "2013-11-27T21:28:38Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Had all 4 of mine removed via oral surgery. All four of them were impacted, growing completely horizontally directly into my other teeth. Keeping them was absolutely not an option. Same here. They were aimed at my other molars and ready to knock everything out of place - and I’d just spent three years in braces. Had it done under general anaesthesia. Not sure why, but I’m glad. I’ve heard stories from folks who were awake for it all, and I’d have needed a LOT of anti-anxiety drugs to keep my ass in that chair. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/33 "2013-11-27T21:40:41Z")
The other missing option is, Never had any wisdom teeth. I’m 68 now, and I only ever had 28 adult teeth. Perhaps that means that I never attained wisdom, and never will. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/34 "2013-11-27T22:09:22Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > The other missing option is, Never had any wisdom teeth. I’m 68 now, and I only ever had 28 adult teeth. Perhaps that means that I never attained wisdom, and never will. More likely that all of your wisdom was up in your brain where it could do you some good instead of being wasted down in some useless teeth. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/35 "2013-11-27T22:11:48Z")
still have all four of my wisdom teeth, they are in a box in the other room. You know dentists are wierd about keeping things. FWIIW many wisdom teeth do not need to be removed however many do. Do some dentists take out teeth that probably don’t need it just for the money, sure. Do some patients keep them against advice because they don’t hurt, yep. They can do a lot of harm even if they don’t hurt. My general rule of thumb is if they are fully erupted in good occlusion keep them if you want. If they are fully within the bone leave them. Anything in between usually taking them out is the best thing in the long run. I know there are plenty of people out there well past middle age with partial impactions with no problems that’s great leave them be. However it is much easier to take them out while young (healing is much easier) then wait until later. Had a late 30ish guy in yesterday with large decay on the root of his second molar caused by the mesioangular impacted wisdom tooth. WT never hurt so never had it out, decay is too far below gum/bone to restore so second molar is history. Probably wouldn’t have happened if the third molar was removed as a teen. I see it happen all the time. Absolutly keep them if they aren’t a problem. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/36 "2013-11-27T22:14:00Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > The other missing option is, Never had any wisdom teeth. I’m 68 now, and I only ever had 28 adult teeth. Perhaps that means that I never attained wisdom, and never will. I always tell my patients like this that they are more evolved. About 25% of folks don’t have any or all four third molars. IIRC not going to look it up right now. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/37 "2013-11-27T22:40:07Z")
I didn’t vote. I don’t have wisdom teeth at all. I’m 33 years old and there has never been any sign of them on my x-rays. I also still have one of my baby teeth and there’s no sign of anything trying to push it out. Unfortunately, all my molars are/were complete shit. ---
**Author:** ![Noodles\_Fellicini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Noodles\_Fellicini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noodles_Fellicini)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/38 "2013-11-27T22:58:38Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > I always tell my patients like this that they are more evolved. > > About 25% of folks don’t have any or all four third molars. IIRC not going to look it up right now. Another vote for “Don’t have any wisdom teeth.” More evolved, I like it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/39 "2013-11-27T23:04:03Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Not great answer options, I was advised to have them removed when I was a teen, I never did. No pressure from dental visits since. Me, too. They’ll have to pry my wisdom teeth from the my cold, dead mouth!! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916/40 "2013-11-27T23:05:15Z")
I still have my wisdom teeth, and I don’t like them because they sometimes bite the inside of my cheeks. However, they never cause any other problems, and the dentist has never said they needed to be removed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-have-your-wisdom-teeth/674916.md?page=3)