Why haven't wisdom teeth disappeared like having a tail

[Sugarkane]

I have an impacted wisdom tooth, which is very painful. I know I will have to get it removed- also very painful. I know why we have them. But I can't find why we haven't evolved not to have it anymore. Why do we still have them, only to get removed anyway?

[johan]

That would be a question for your dentist.

 

But this is the first time I've really been bothered by my tail. I didn't realized I wasn't as evolved as I should be.

[Citizen Erased]

But this is the first time I've really been bothered by my tail. I didn't realized I wasn't as evolved as I should be.

:lmao:

 

Sorry you're in pain OP.

[Cypress25]

Having your wisdom teeth removed isn't painful, they knock you out. The pain comes later, during the recovery. But they give you painkillers for it, and it only lasts about a week. You'll be fine. I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled a few years ago (they were impacted and 2 of them had already erupted through the gum line). My face swelled up like a football for a few days, but that was the worst of it.

 

Not everyone has wisdom teeth, actually. I guess the reason evolution didn't take care of wisdom teeth is because no one is born with teeth. Your DNA doesn't seem to affect the kind of teeth you have.

[fortyninethousand322]

I've never had mine pulled. They've grown in but my dentist said I have enough room in mouth to keep them as long as I brush my teeth well enough (which I do). Most of my friends have had them pulled though and many did have the swelling problem.

 

Hope it works out well for you OP.

[Eclypse]

 

Not everyone has wisdom teeth, actually. I guess the reason evolution didn't take care of wisdom teeth is because no one is born with teeth. Your DNA doesn't seem to affect the kind of teeth you have.

 

Actually it does. All genes have a specific promoter region attatched to them. This promoter allows for the gene to be to be expressed at a particular time or place. So while all cells contain our entire genome, most genes can be only be expressed in certain locations. Which is good since you don't want heart muscle in your liver for example. I'm not an expert on dental DNA but it seems most likely certain transcription factors are synthesized a few months after birth which bind to the promoter region encoding teeth and transcription and translation ensues.