Effects of orthognathic surgery on quality of life compared with nonsurgical controls in an American population

Introduction To determine the psychosocial effects of a facial skeletal mal-relationship with its subsequent surgical correction in a group of patients treated using surgical orthodontics compared with a matched group of nontreated controls. Methods This study was approved by The Ohio State University Institutional Review Board. Subjects were patients presenting with facial skeletal mal-relationships whose proposed treatment plans included orthognathic surgery. This study used valid and reliable questionnaires: Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ), Beck Depression Inventory II (Children's Depression Inventory – 2), Satisfaction with Life Scale, and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children), administered at 3 different stages of treatment (time 1 = initial pretreatment, time 2 = before oral surgery, and time 3 = at completion of treatment). Matched controls recruited at each time point completed the same questionnaires. Results A total of 267 subjects were recruited to participate in this study. There were no significant differences between treatment and control groups in age, sex, education level, or employment status at any of the 3 time points. The randomization test was used to compare values for all outcome variables between groups at the 3 stages of treatment. For the pretreatment period, T1, there were significant differences between patients and controls in domains 1 (P = 0.0126), 2 (P = 0.0000), and 3 (P = 0.0000) of the OQLQ (social aspects, facial esthetics, and oral function, respectively) as well as total OQLQ (P = 0.0000). For the presurgery period, T2, there were significant differences between patients and controls in domains 2 (P = 0.0136) and 3 (P = 0.0001) of the OQLQ (facial esthetics and oral function) as well as total OQLQ (P = 0.0291). Finally, for the posttreatment period, T3, there was a significant difference between patients and controls only in domain 3 (P = 0.0196) of the OQLQ (oral function). Conclusions The psychosocial profile of patients with a facial skeletal mal-relationship does not differ from the general population in depression, anxiety, and overall satisfaction with life. However, these patients do report a reduced quality of life based on condition-specific measures in social aspects, facial esthetics, and oral function. Concerns about oral function remain even up to 2 years after treatment is completed.