wisdom teeth

Cultural  

1. Four molars, two on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw, that are the last teeth to emerge in the mouth.

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These teeth are associated with wisdom because they appear during the late teens or early twenties, when a person is physically mature. Often, the wisdom teeth may not rise above the gum line, but remain impacted in the jaw, causing inflammation. If this impaction occurs, or if they pose a threat to other teeth, the wisdom teeth may need to be removed.

Example Sentences

I got all four of my wisdom teeth out and was told the price would be around $700, but it actually ended up costing a little more than $1,000.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 10, 2025

A dentist informed her she required surgery to remove both lower wisdom teeth next week, for which she'll need to spend at least two weeks recovering.

From BBC • Oct. 1, 2025

He said he was taking medication for abscesses in his wisdom teeth when he woke up with "a really strange feeling" in his chest.

From BBC • May 29, 2024

Part of the problem is that people assume wisdom teeth are always damaging to the mouth, but Bailey said this is not true.

From Salon • May 7, 2024

“Laughter comes later, like wisdom teeth, and laughter at yourself comes last of all in a mad race with death, and sometimes it isn’t in time.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck