Psychosocial empowerment following orthognathic surgery for patients born with cleft lip and/or palate

Individuals born with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) may experience functional, esthetic and psychosocial challenges. While orthognathic surgery is performed to correct jaw discrepancies, knowledge about patients' experiences of this treatment remains limited, as previous research has largely relied on quantitative quality-of-life measures.

This study aimed to illuminate the experiences of individuals with CLP undergoing orthognathic surgery.

An inductive qualitative design was used. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 adults treated with orthognathic surgery. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

One overarching theme, Emerging empowered through a life-changing challenge, described surgery as, for many, a transformative process extending beyond functional and esthetic correction. Three themes described participants' experiences: being highly motivated for change, overcoming tough setbacks through a stable backing system, and enhancing self-confidence. While many participants described increased confidence and social ease over time, empowerment was neither universal nor immediate, with some reported neutral or context-dependent psychosocial outcomes.

Orthognathic surgery may be experienced as a transformative process within a lifelong CLP trajectory, with potential to foster psychosocial empowerment and renewed self-confidence. These findings highlight both the transformative possibilities and the contextual variability of surgical outcomes in person-centered cleft care.