The third molars (better known as wisdom teeth) are the last to erupt in the dental arch, usually between 16 and 20 years of age.
In the past, wisdom teeth helped chew roots, nuts and raw meats. However, due to the lower development of the jaws due to an increasingly pasty contemporary diet, the third molars end up not finding space to erupt normally. They may be related to crowding of the other teeth, so extraction is often recommended. Currently, third molars are considered unnecessary for human development.