Do antibiotics reduce the frequency of surgical site infections after impacted mandibular third molar surgery?

Surgical removal of impacted third molars remains the most common procedure performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Given the abundance of host bacteria within the operative sites, surgical site infections are among the most common complications of third molar removal, with an estimated frequency of 1% to 30%. In this setting, significant controversy has surrounded the use of prophylactic antibiotics in the surgical management of impacted third molars. This article provides a comprehensive review of the available data on antibiotic prophylaxis in impacted third molar surgery and offers specific recommendations on antibiotic use.