Orthognathic surgery: the patients' perspective

It is often thought that patients seek combined orthodontic and surgical treatment for predominantly aesthetic reasons, with functional concerns being secondary. To find out whether patients were more satisfied with appearance than function after treatment, all 165 patients who had orthognathic operations during the 11-year period 1983-94 were sent a questionnaire; 139 responded (84%). Rating on a visual analogue scale showed a high level of satisfaction for both appearance (mean score 6.78) and function (mean score 7.24) (Wilcoxon test, P = 0.046). This indicates that orthognathic surgery is not merely done for aesthetic reasons, but is important when combined with orthodontic treatment in correcting severe malocclusions, which appreciably improve the ability to chew.