wisdom teeth
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
In a social media post, the 29-year-old rising star said she requires urgent dental surgery to remove two wisdom teeth.
From BBC • Oct. 1, 2025
Unfortunately for the general public, the medical and dental industries has a financial incentive to continue removing wisdom teeth regardless of whether doing so is wisest for their patient.
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
