Pooled estimates indicated that MMP3 -1171 5A/6A polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk of periodontitis (allelic genetic model: OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.62–0.80, Pheterogeneity = 0.315; heterozygous model: OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.39–0.65, Pheterogeneity = 0.221; homozygous model: OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.25–0.69, Pheterogeneity = 0.265; dominant model: OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.38–0.62, Pheterogeneity = 0.238, respectively). Here, MMP3 is linked to periodontitis.