What is the evolutionary purpose of

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I ask because I just had one removed, and I get another yanked in a week. I'm severely fucked up at the moment, and am pondering human development. What do you think?

 

Wisdom teeth: Vestigial nuisance or necessary rite of passage?

[Nighthawk 0]

I've had three taken, one remains. They always pushed my teeth forward as if I were a crocodile. It's the throwback to a reptilian stage. But I've been up for a few days, so it might not be the best time to ask me,

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I've never been to the dentist.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Mine are still in. They've never caused me any pain or jacked up teeth

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I can't see them being a nescessary rite of passage because not everybody needs to get them removed, so I'm going with vestigial nuisance.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

I've got mine, too. Dentist gave me the choice of either sealing them, or having them pulled.

 

Took me about .001 seconds to make up my mind to keep them.

[Skywarp! 0]

In our earlier, more caveman-like stages, we had larger, longer jaws. This allowed for the whole set of teeth to protrude from the gums and function like intended. As we evolved, we got smaller jaw-lines. However, the same number of teeth remained. Now we have 4 useless teeth hanging around, pushing through the back of the mouth where there's no room and impacting themselves into everything. I hate wisdom teeth.

[Guest El Satanico]

The people who still have them = the future masters of people who don't

[Guest stardust]

In our earlier, more caveman-like stages, we had larger, longer jaws. This allowed for the whole set of teeth to protrude from the gums and function like intended. As we evolved, we got smaller jaw-lines. However, the same number of teeth remained. Now we have 4 useless teeth hanging around, pushing through the back of the mouth where there's no room and impacting themselves into everything. I hate wisdom teeth.

I was bitching about mine one day at work and someone was like "they're there because we used to lose our teeth all the time when we were cavemen and they were the replacement teeth." My response: "Um, okay."

 

As for today's relevance, I would say they're simply a pain. I can't wait til I start my new job and have dental insurance so I can get these damned things removed.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Wisdom teeth are there to make dentist's money.

 

In high school I was told that I needed mine removed, yet they never bothered me. I kept putting it off and YEARS later when I went to a different dentist I asked her if my wisdom teeth needed removed. She said "they look fine to me."

 

This is why I never trust the medical profession...

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I was told to have mine removed a few years ago. Mine are coming in sideways.

 

The problem is one of them is sitting right on a nerve or a blood vessel (I can't remember which) and the dentist said removing that one has the slight chance of doing some bad damage.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'm likely getting two pulled in early June, should be fun

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I found the wisdom teeth experience pretty fun. The shit they give you knocks you the fuck out.

[The Electrifyer 0]

Some, very unfortunate people, don't get the luxury of being knocked out. To them, I say: Hahahahahahahaha

[Guest Dids]

I had my teeth out on the 20th of December. Prime chewing season, it sucked. Save for right after- I understood why people do hard drugs. I was bleeding from the mouth, and I felt fucking fantastic. It was awesome.

[Damaramu 0]

I had mine pulled. But they weren't impacted yet so i only spent a day in pain and then I was fine.

[Cuban Linx 0]

My wisdom teeth are still in and aren't going anywhere. I never take proper care of my teeth yet i haven't had a single problem with them ever.

[Nighthawk 0]

If you're like me, that'll last another year or two before it catches up with you. I'm back at the dentist on Saturday. It's going to be the third extraction from the lower left side of my mouth, leaving me with none for the last three slots. I could get a root canal... but fuck it.

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

Evolutionists have taught that humans evolved from ape-like ancestors that possessed larger jaws and teeth than us. In the process of evolution the jaw has become smaller, allowing less room for the third molars and causing numerous dental problems. ......

 

Or...

 

"This, of course, is due to the fact that Adam fell and we have been suffering and groaning under the curse resulting from this fall ever since." ...

 

Evolutionism vs Creationism is quickly becoming favorite reading material of mine.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I'm going to turn this thread into my dental diary.

 

Post tooth: Day one.

 

I've been fucking with the hole in my gums rather steadily for the past four hours, having had the night off of work. I'm happy that I didn't go under, because there's no fucking way some quack sawbones mouth-digger is going to spike me full of medication. I took the local, and felt absolutely nothing.

 

I also had considered how necessary it was to get it pulled, but I'd been experiencing discomfort, so naturally the only solution was to have him grab it with forceps, and proceed to make about 47 seconds of squelching noises. I examined the extracted tooth, which was decalcified in spots, and certainly awkward looking, which has set my mind at ease about these overpaid meat magicians for the time being.

 

I've kept myself stimulated and distracted from the bloody wound through an exquisite cocktail of pain killers, both legal and il-, and I've somehow avoided dry socket despite smoking no longer than forty minutes after the procedure.

 

The cotton roll oral tampon removal was an interesting experience, as the structure had become slick with gathered mucosa. It tugged slightly at the blood clot, though no damage was done.

 

Current status: Hydrocodone, Darvocet, Marijuana, and Tylenol. It's the latter that does the trick.

 

Pain index: 1.6. Slight throbbing discomfort.

 

Mouth functionality: 67%

[Lil' Bitch 0]

The shit they give you knocks you the fuck out.

 

Amen to that. I was out like a fat kid playing dodgeball.

[Guest Breetai]

It's definately vestigal. Back in the day we had to eat more roughage, grasses even, and that's what molars are for - grinding.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I get my other top one pulled on thursday. I'll probably bleed to death this time.

[dubq 0]

My top wisdom's killlled for months on end until I finally got them taken out. Covered by medical/dental benefits of course, so it was no $$ out of my pocket. The T3's were a plus, too.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Don't forget to rinse your mouth out with salt water, AoO, it helps stave off infection. But I'm sure you'll find a much more hilarious remedy then salt water to kill the germs swimming in your mouth.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

A much more hilarious remedy? Like what? Clown piss?

[Ted the Poster 0]

A much more hilarious remedy? Like what? Clown piss?

God damn it Agent, you made me do a spit take with my turkey sandwich and now I gotta use a toothpick to get the bits out of my keyboard. Bastard.

 

Seriously though, my first and second wisdom teeth were both impacted so I had to get them removed. I used Tylenol, general asprin, and even marijuana as a desperation move(weed makes me nauseous for some reason). Then I got a prescription for Darvocet. Daaaaaaaaamn, that shit fucked me up wonderfully. Apparently I did and said a bunch of weird shit while taking it, and my asshole family videotaped me. Now and then they pull it from its hiding place and show the thing to friends. I hate them all.

[Guest El Satanico]

I had all 4 removed at one time...I wasn't totally knocked out.

 

I was high as a kite and floating, but I could still see and feel the pressure of the removal tool yanking them. I didn't feel any pain, but it was a pretty fucking wild experience.

[Ced 0]

My wisdom teeth were coming in almost completely sideways and had been annoying my mouth for ages. So when I finally got an excellent dental plan, they immediately came out. I loved the fact that they knocked me out for my wisdom tooth extractions. Though I was such a miserable bastard for the following 24 hours even with the drugs in my system. After that though, it was like I didn't even have the surgery except for the sockets in my mouth where teeth used to be.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

What's with you pansies getting KO'ed? Did they have to cut or something?

 

You should all find a nice small town dentist that has pulled everyone's teeth, and their parents' teeth. The guy had that tooth out of there in literally less than ten seconds. It was incredible.

 

Apparently, that tooth was pretty mutated, too, as it was really small, and looked more like a fang. I hope it wasn't the source of my powers or something. At least it's a little hole, so it'll heal quick. I'm still bleeding into a gauze roll as I type this.