Wisdom is the word we use to describe a level of knowledge that can only be earned with time, which is why it seems a bit of a misnomer when you’re describing wisdom teeth. After all, in many cases they grow sideways or trapped underneath other teeth and need to be extracted, which if you ask me isn’t very smart. However, their name isn’t inspired by their intelligence; it’s in reference to the older age most people are when they finally erupt. If you’ve been wondering if yours need to be removed, here’s why they might, and how I as a dentist make that determination for my own patients.