Approximately 75% of western people have 3rd molar or {wisdom} teeth. They usually erupt at the very back of the mouth between 17-21yrs. As mankind descended from his evolutionary ancestors, the brain increased in size, at the expense of space available for face & jaws. It is the reduction in the size of jaws which creates problems for the 3rd molar tooth.
Being the last tooth to erupt, there is often not enough room for them. When teeth are stopped from fully erupting, they are referred to as being !i! impacted !n!. This can lead to problems with infection around the teeth known as !i! pericoronitis !n!, & often leads to the need for extraction.
