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AIMS The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and dexamethasone on the trismus, postsurgical pain, facial swelling, as well as the analgesic consumption after third molar surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS The reports were identified in the most important medical databases. Those studies that met the requirements were fully assessed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of each report was evaluated with the Oxford Quality Scale and using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Each meta-analysis was done using the technique of mean difference and 95% confidence intervals employing a random effects model with the Review Manager 5.3., from the Cochrane Library. Significant statistical difference was accepted when the p value was less than 0.05 on the test of overall effect (Z value). RESULTS Qualitative evaluation was done using the data of 330 patients extracted from seven articles and the quantitative assessment with data of 200 patients from three reports. It was not observed difference among non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and dexamethasone in any of the clinical effectiveness indicators. CONCLUSION The outcomes of our meta-analysis indicate that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and dexamethasone have good therapeutic effect for the management of inflammatory complications following to third molar surgery.