Changes in Oral Health-related Quality of Life before and after Orthognathic Surgery and Predictors of Outcome

Abstract

Aim: There is good evidence that orthognathic surgery improves quality of life (QoL), but it is uncertain whether QoL outcomes differ for patients with different dentofacial deformities. The aim of this study was to (i) assess changes in QoL before and after orthognathic surgery; (ii) compare QoL between deformity classes; and (iii) establish predictors of QoL Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal, observations study of adult patients seeking orthognathic treatment. Patients were classified into class II or class III dentofacial deformities. The paired t-test was used to compare Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) scores before and after surgery, and multivariable linear regression was used to identify predictors of post-operative OQLQ score. Results: Of the 50 participants, 36 (72%) were female, and the average age was 29.9 ± 4.2 years. Overall and domain OQLQ scores were significantly lower after surgery (p < 0.0001). The mean change in QoL score was significantly greater for class II patients (p = 0.003). Age and baseline OQLQ score were significantly associated with post-operative OQLQ score. Conclusions: This study confirms that orthognathic surgery has a very positive impact on QoL. The finding that age and baseline QoL predict subsequent QoL outcomes paves the way for targeted interventions in specific patients.