Changes in patient-reported chief complaints with orthognathic surgery: a prospective cohort study

There is a lack of studies on patient-reported outcomes in orthodontics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in patient-reported chief complaints during orthognathic surgery treatment.

Patients undergoing orthognathic surgery at the University Hospital Münster between 2019 and 2023 were eligible for inclusion in this prospective cohort study. Patient-reported chief complaints were recorded on visual analogue scale (VAS) forms before treatment ([Formula: see text]), and reevaluated after presurgical orthodontic treatment ([Formula: see text]), and 6-9 months after surgery ([Formula: see text]). Chief complaints were grouped into three main categories (pain, function, aesthetics) and ten subcategories, and their intensity was quantified over time.

A total of 217 out of 386 recruited patients (56%) completed all study assessments and were included in the final analysis (female/male = 126/91, median age 24.1 years). Dental function, facial aesthetics, and dental aesthetics were the most frequently reported complaints at [Formula: see text]. At [Formula: see text], there was a statistically significant improvement in dental aesthetics. There was a statistically significant reduction in the intensity of each of the 10 subcategories from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text].

Orthognathic surgery patients most frequently report dental function, facial aesthetics, and dental aesthetics as their chief complaints, and these complaints were improved significantly after treatment.

The improvement in patient-reported chief complaints can be used to inform patients prior to treatment.