# Poll: Do you have wisdom teeth? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2005, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689 "2005-08-05T07:19:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/41 "2005-08-05T16:58:01Z")
Had four, two came in without issue, the other two were impacted and causing troubles in Biteland. Dentist removed the two normal ones and sent me to his oral surgeon buddy for the impacted pair, which came out under local. Yay for high pain tolerance. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gundhilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@Gundhilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundhilde)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/42 "2005-08-05T18:00:04Z")
I still have all four. They started to come in when I was 19. For some reason I can’t even explain, I have a weird paranoia about getting them removed, even though I easily had four molars removed when I was 12 (so I can’t even chalk it up to a fear of tooth-pulling). I finally found a dentist who, rather than pushing me to get them removed, started giving me tips on how to take care of them so that I might be able to continue to enjoy their wisdom. ---
**Author:** ![MrJackboots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MrJackboots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrJackboots)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/43 "2005-08-05T18:33:53Z")
I got mine pulled a little after I turned 17. Two of them came out intact; the other two had to be split, but I didn’t swell at all. It felt like I’d been punched in the mouth for the first day, but after that, I didn’t even need Tylenol. I keep them in a little jar of alcohol. It’s a really encouraging thing when you wake up and the first words the dentist says to you are “Well, that was a textbook extraction…” ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/44 "2005-08-05T18:55:53Z")
Mine were all taken forcibly when I was 18 . They had not so much as peeked out but my dentist said I didn’t have room in my jaw for them to come in - first time I have EVER been accused of having a small mouth 😛 - so they were cut out , left side one week , right the next . It was brutal . Never hope to go thru anything like that ever again . \>shudder\< ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/45 "2005-08-05T19:27:55Z")
I came OEM with only 3. The one on the bottom right never appeared. The Bottom left one was impacted, and never erupted through the lower gum. The top 2 came in in my late 20s, and for quite a while, they caused no problems… The snag with teeth is that they don’t grow to a specific length (or decend to a certain depth) but rather grow (decend) until they have an opposing force. Usually, it’s a lower tooth that oposes the upper tooth, but mine had nothing to hit, until they found my lower gum. This started tearing up the gum area, causing pain, and mild infection. All 3 were pulled under local anesthetic. I had no problems with any of the process, except for the wimpy Vicodin that I was prescribed… asprin would have been of the same use as far as I was concerned. I didn’t eat anything prior to the surgery, so that I had the option of a more general anesthetic, then, feeling fine, went home and began to chop wood… Oak, with an 8# maul. I wouldn’t recommend this course of action. Go home and have a rest. Physical exertion with no food all day isn’t a good idea. -Butler ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/46 "2005-08-05T19:41:21Z")
Nope. Had all 4 pulled–an incredibly painless and complication-free procedure. I’ve heard horror stories, but the worst thing I could say was that it was weird having my tongue feel the gaps, with the stringy stitchwork in the back being a minor (and temporary) distraction. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/47 "2005-08-05T19:45:53Z")
Two grew in just fine, one impacted and was extracted, one never appeared. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/48 "2005-08-05T19:46:26Z")
Bottom right started poking out this past spring. It’s mostly ‘grown’ now. Bottom left followed suit, but currenlty just pokes out a little teeny bit. I fought with my dentist for about a year - he wanted to go in and rip 'em out because he was _sure_ that with my tiny jaw, they’d cause huge problems. The only difference now that two are at least partially in is that my jaw ‘clicks’ sometimes now - painlessly. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/49 "2005-08-05T19:49:42Z")
Mine haven’t come up yet but according to X-rays I’ve got four and they’re all ready to start coming in sideways. If they screw up my teeth that I had to spend three years in braces for I’ll yank em out myself. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/50 "2005-08-05T20:45:11Z")
I had four, but growing in such a way that they were never going to erupt (not through my gums, anyway). They were all taken out at once, before they began to grow roots. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/51 "2005-08-05T21:47:35Z")
All four of my impacted wisdom teeth were sugically removed 2 days before my 18th birthday. Not a fun way to celebrate my birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Tamryne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tamryne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamryne)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/52 "2005-08-05T22:12:14Z")
As of three days ago, all of my wisdom teeth are in the possession of my oral surgeon. I got my wisdom teeth pulled and all I have to remember them by are disintegrating stitches and a bloody t-shirt! ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/53 "2005-08-05T22:43:47Z")
I am one of those few lucky humans to get 3 sets of teeth, which is not at all the blessing it might seem. The second set of ‘adult’ teeth erupt at odd times, and almost invariably impact or grow sideways out of the jaw. I’ve had about a dozen teeth yanked in my life, which doensn’t make for happy childhood. One of the other blessings is that I had two wisdom teeth in the bottom jaw and two full sized ones in the top jaw along with two small ones, almost like incisors, growing right beside them. So a grand total of 6 wisdom teeth. Amazingly none of them caused any real trouble, except that being arranged as they were, and my jaw already being overstudded with teeth they couldn’t be cleaned. Woo hoo. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/54 "2005-08-05T23:30:22Z")
> [@Montgomery Burns](#): > > I only had the two on the right side develop, which I had take out 15 years ago. The odd thing is that my identical twin brother also only had two, but his were both uppers. What controls which wisdom teeth you get? Our situation seems to argue against genetics. I’m not a dentist, so I’m going to just wildly guess it’s environment. Maybe you both were supposed to have all four, but there were differences in how your other teeth grew in. Say only you grind your teeth on one side at night. That caused crowding or whatever, which kept some of them from erupting. Those that did, did so in different places than your twin because he doesn’t grind his teeth. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/55 "2005-08-06T00:23:05Z")
Mine came out when I was 21 or so. They were coming in sideways and our dentist thought it would be better if they came out before they made much progress. My younger brother had the same issues, so Mom scheduled us back-to-back appointments and out they came. There’s a picture of us somewhere, looking like we have mumps. GT ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/56 "2005-08-06T02:34:22Z")
40 years old. All 4 wisdom teeth erupted and intact and healthy. Thanks for asking. I do have issues with the other teefs… one gone and one fake. That’s about par for the course at my age. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/57 "2005-08-06T02:42:06Z")
I have 3 impacted and 1 partially erupted. I asked my oral surgeon about getting them removed and asked if the [tori](http://www.instantweb.com/p/parsa/images/preventative_dentistry/excessive_bone_formation.jpg) (warning: gross picture) in my mouth would be a problem. He replied that the biggest problem would be my age. I’m 42. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/58 "2005-08-06T02:53:38Z")
I was about 16 and all four were impacted and infected and _very_ painful. I had to suffer two weeks so the antibiotic could work before the surgery. My dad took me there and after a dozen injections and hour and something (seemed like more) he had to carry me out with my arm over his shoulder and an arm around my waist. Oh yeah, it went _fiiine_. Years later my first wife need the surgery. She had a _Zero_ tolerance for pain so I took her, stayed with her, carried her out after while still under sedation, put her on the sofa and made sure she got her pain pills and cotton change every fours hours on the clock, all night from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon when I cut back on the pain pills and let her ease back in. Some years later, she is talking to someone about them having the work done and said “Oh, I had mine done and there was nothing to it. Didn’t bother me at all.” I laughed and said “Is that how you remember it?” After she said it was I told her how it really went and how happy I was that this was her only impression of that event. _My work here is done_. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/59 "2005-08-06T02:56:42Z")
What’s a tori? I googled and only came up with references to Ms Spelling and Ms Amos. I just stuck a compact-mirror in my mouth and had a look - it seems that two of the wisdom teeth are sort of half-out - it looks like my gum tissue is engulfing them. Hmm, no discomfort though. I’m 24. I may be a late bloomer in Toothland though - I still had babyteeth when I was 11. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689/60 "2005-08-06T04:55:21Z")
I had all four removed when I was about 23. One was starting to hurt and it just seemed easier to get rid of them all entirely. The dentist took them out in two lots, in the chair: upper and lower on one side, and then, a fortnight later, upper and lower on the other side. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-have-wisdom-teeth/315689.md?page=4)