Yes, girls can have wisdom teeth. However, a Harvard University dissertation analyzing 92 studies involving 63,314 subjects, showed that women are more likely to be missing one or more of their wisdom teeth due to a phenomenon called third molar agenesis. The global rate of third molar agenesis was found to be 22.63%.
Here's a breakdown:
- Wisdom teeth exist in both sexes: Both males and females develop wisdom teeth (also known as third molars).
- Agenesis is a factor: Agenesis refers to the failure of a tooth (in this case, a wisdom tooth) to develop.
- Women are statistically more likely to experience agenesis: The study indicates a higher incidence of third molar agenesis in women compared to men. This means a woman may be missing one or more wisdom teeth that would otherwise have developed.
In summary, while girls can and often do have wisdom teeth, they are statistically more prone to missing them compared to boys.
