416 A MANUAL OF DENTAL ANATOMY. 



lower races of mankind differs from that of the higher in the 

 following particulars : the arch is not so rounded, but is 

 squarer in front ; the teeth are larger, and are disposed 

 with greater regularity ; the wisdom tooth has ample space 

 to range with the other teeth, and is a characteristic upper 

 or lower molar, the pattern of its grinding surface (quadri- 

 cuspid if it be an upper, quinquicuspid if it be a lower 

 tooth) and the disposition of its roots corresponding with the 

 first and second molars, which do not greatly exceed it in 

 size. Specimens of negro skulls may be found in which 

 there is scanty room for the wisdom tooth, and in which 

 consequently it is a little stunted in its development : 011 

 the other hand, plenty of well formed and well placed 

 wisdom teeth may be picked out of European mouths, 

 though as a rule the wisdom tooth is much smaller than 

 the other molars, does not bear the characteristic pattern 

 of cusps and grooves, has its roots connate, and it is not 

 very infrequently a mere rudimentary peg. The stunted 

 development of the wisdom tooth would seem to be a 

 consequence of want of space during its formative period ; 

 the upper wisdom tooth is especially apt to be cramped in 

 this way. 



There is some little evidence that the wisdom tooth is in 

 process of disappearance from the jaws of civilized races : 

 in anthropoid apes the wisdom tooth is nearly or quite as 

 large as the other molars, and shows no variability, whilst 

 it comes into place almost simultaneously with the canine : 

 in the lowest races of mankind the wisdom tooth appears to 

 vary but little, is of large size, and is seldom misplaced ; in 

 highly civilised races it is very variable in size, form, and in 

 the date of its appearance, is often misplaced, and is not 

 uncommonly quite rudimentary. It seems to be a legitimate 

 inference that a further modification of the race in the same 

 direction will result in the disappearance of the wisdom 

 tooth altogether. 



