Assessing change in quality of life using the Oral Health Impact Profile in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery: A before and after comparison with a minimal follow-up of two years.

PURPOSE

Here we evaluated how orthognathic surgery impacted oral health-related quality of life among patients with dentofacial deformities in the immediate postoperative period and during ≥2 years of follow-up, using the OHIP-14-NL questionnaire.

METHODS

This prospective study included 86 patients. Quality of life was assessed using the Dutch version of the Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire (OHIP-14-NL) preoperatively (T, baseline), over 7 days postoperatively (T-T), and at 4 weeks (T), 6 months (T), 1 year (T), and ≥2 years (T) postoperatively. Total OHIP score was determined for each patient. Lower OHIP scores indicated higher oral health-related quality of life. Patients also answered questions regarding self-care, discomfort, and experienced pain at all time-points, starting from T.

RESULTS

Compared to baseline (T), median OHIP scores were significantly higher from T to T. However, at T to T, OHIP scores were significantly lower compared to baseline (T) (p < 0.01). OHIP scores were not correlated with gender, age, or blood loss; and did not significantly differ according to surgery type or surgery indication (p > 0.01). Pain scores were positively correlated with OHIP scores for all time-points, except T and T. Pain was not correlated with sex, age, blood loss, surgery duration, surgery indication, or surgery type. Compared to at T, pain was significantly decreased at T-T.

CONCLUSION

Among patients who underwent orthognathic surgery, oral health-related quality of life was decreased in the immediate postoperative period, but improved at ≥6 months postoperatively. The improvement was significant 2 years after orthognathic surgery.