# I'm 32 without a single wisdom tooth not even impacted, are they yet to erupt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089 "2015-10-29T15:18:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/1 "2015-10-29T15:18:11Z")
I ask because other people assure me they are, I’ll hear a story about how at age 24 they started coming in. I don’t think any are even impacted or below the gumline, there is no room on top and below there are just bare gum with no feeling of anything below the gum. I’ve never examined an X-ray of my teeth, I’ll remember to ask next time I’m at the dentist. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/2 "2015-10-29T15:21:15Z")
Some people never get them. It’s uncommon, but not all that rare. Others, me for instance, have four perfectly good extra molars in our mouths. Wisdom teeth aren’t always a disaster. I’m very happy with mine. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/3 "2015-10-29T15:26:35Z")
Your dentist is the only one who can give a definitive “yes or no” answer. The biggest issue, as I understand it, is that when they come in they crowd out the other teeth, but x-rays can show whether this will be an issue for you or not. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/4 "2015-10-29T16:20:44Z")
I’m in my 40s and I never developed any wisdom teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/5 "2015-10-29T16:26:20Z")
I still have one of my original wisdom teeth, and that one I had room for because the adult bicuspid in that quadrant of my mouth just never existed, for some reason. If my bicuspid can go AWOL, then so can your wisdom teeth. It’s far from the weirdest thing that happens in biology. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/6 "2015-10-29T16:56:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I still have one of my original wisdom teeth, and that one I had room for because the adult bicuspid in that quadrant of my mouth just never existed, for some reason. If my bicuspid can go AWOL, then so can your wisdom teeth. **It’s far from the weirdest thing that happens in biology.** And speaking of weird biology, related to this thread: Teeth can show up in the weirdest places. [**Cecil** discusses.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1283/do-some-tumors-contain-the-beginnings-of-a-baby) Responses to **Cecil** ’s column: [The Teeming Masses are grossed out](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=74786). More recent thread: [Toothy tumors](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=687983). [An actual article on the subject](http://www.medicaldaily.com/teeth-grow-weirdest-places-thinking-outside-mouth-288524) from Medical Daily. [Vagina Dentata](http://www.dentalassistant.net/blog/vagina-dentata-and-other-weird-body-parts-where-teeth-can-grow/) :eek: and other odd places to find teeth. (Some gross pics here.) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/7 "2015-10-29T17:13:01Z")
My mom, age 70, still has wisdom below the gum line. It happens. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/8 "2015-10-29T17:14:06Z")
My wisdom teeth came through in my 30s. My gums were occasionally sore because of it, but I still have them all and they sit coexist happily with my other teeth. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/9 "2015-10-29T17:52:54Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I’m in my 40s and I never developed any wisdom teeth. Same here. That is, I’m 40, and they’re buried behind the gum line. I did get one removed at the advice of my dentist about six or seven years ago, but it’s never affected me in any measurable way (and my extraction was particularly unpleasant, so I’m not sure I’d do it again if I could go back in time.) ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/10 "2015-10-29T17:58:41Z")
All four of mine came in with room to spare, during my teenage years. Eventually, I needed to have the top two removed, as they got cavities, and it didn’t make sense to fill/crown them. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/11 "2015-10-29T18:24:27Z")
Mine never came in. They are there but do to my large mouth, LOL, I doubt they’ll every erupt or cause issues. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/12 "2015-10-29T20:50:20Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Same here. That is, I’m 40, and they’re buried behind the gum line. I just never had any, above or below the gum line. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/13 "2015-10-29T20:51:42Z")
When my mother passed at 81, she had never gotten wisdom teeth. Her grandmother had the same luck. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/14 "2015-10-29T21:02:53Z")
You guys remind me of the 90-year old man in the confession booth: Priest: Are you confessin’ or boastin’? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/15 "2015-10-29T22:36:31Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > My wisdom teeth came through in my 30s. My gums were occasionally sore because of it, but I still have them all and they sit coexist happily with my other teeth. So maybe people were right, interesting thanks. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/16 "2015-10-29T22:45:12Z")
Dentist here, the short answer is it depends. First do you have wisdom teeth? Your dentist should have x-rays that will let you know. About one in four folks are missing one or more wisdom teeth. They are the most common tooth to be congenitally missing. No cite but 29 years of doing this, if they haven’t come in yet they probably won’t unless something changes. If something happens to your second molar or if there is a change in your occlusion it could cause eruption. FWIIW you should find out if you have them. I’ve seen plenty of folks in their 30’s and 40’s loose their second molar because the impacted third molar destroyed the back of the second molar under the bone level and the second molar became non restorable. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/17 "2015-10-30T09:45:37Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I ask because other people assure me they are, I’ll hear a story about how at age 24 they started coming in. I don’t think any are even impacted or below the gumline, there is no room on top and below there are just bare gum with no feeling of anything below the gum. You’re lucky. I’ve had **three** pulled from the lower left. The second dentist didn’t believe me and I had him get my records from the previous dentist. I didn’t bother trying to convince the third dentist (this was over a span of 30 years) and he didn’t believe me until he actually got the tooth out. The roots were curled over like fish hooks (apparently this one spent most of my life backed up behind the first two). The other 3 positions have only had one each (all pulled by now). I’m not sure why the lower left decided that I need more… ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/18 "2015-10-30T11:30:56Z")
This is random but it kind of makes me sad, I had all four of my wisdom teeth and they all erupted normally and the Orthodontist even said I had enough room in my mouth for them, but when I got braces they extracted all of them, basically I guess, Orthodontists don’t want to deal with the wisdom teeth, or they make the treatment that much longer and complex. I still have them in a bag:( ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/19 "2015-10-30T12:41:52Z")
My current dentist in is in the only good wisdom tooth is an extracted wisdom tooth camp, which sentiment was quite common for awhile. That probably accounts for your healthy wisdom teeth being extracted. Yes, my upper right did need to go because of decay, but as I pointed out, I’ve had the rest for 30 years and they aren’t causing problems so maybe I’m not eager to have them out. Even if the extraction was as uneventful as possible that doesn’t mean I want to have more. I expect this will become a matter of discussion every six months as long as I continue to see him. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089/20 "2015-10-30T13:52:49Z")
I’m 37. I don’t have, and have never had, wisdom teeth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-32-without-a-single-wisdom-tooth-not-even-impacted-are-they-yet-to-erupt/736089.md?page=2)