I'm 38 yrs old and still only have three wisdom teeth, will the fourth ever grow!

I'm 38 yrs old and still only have three wisdom teeth, will the fourth ever grow and could it be problematic?

If the fourth one hasn't formed, it won't. Teeth form in sequence "budding" off the tooth before. If wisdom teeth don't begin their development immediately after the second molars, they never will.

However, if the tooth has developed and simply not erupted, it may still come through. The chances of this are increased by factors such as loosing another tooth, which causes teeth to shift and may creates extra room.

A dentist will usually be able to tell, by feeling and looking, whether there is a wisdom tooth under the surface. In this case an x-ray may be warranted to check if the roots of any other teeth are at risk from the un-erupted tooth. Exposure to x-rays cannot be justified just to 'check' for a missing tooth though.

All wisdom teeth have the potential to be problematic. Lower teeth cause more problems than upper teeth ad the position of the wisdom tooth plus the position and condition of other teeth all play a role in whether any problems develop. We know that some teeth are more likely to cause problems tha others, but it is by no means an exact science!