Comparison of Quality of Life of Patients with Class III Deformity Treated by Orthognathic Surgery with Cases without Dentofacial Deformity and Nontreated Class III Cases

Orthognathic surgery is one of the safe methods for treating dentofacial abnormalities that is effective in a patient’s quality of life and psychological aspects. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of orthognathic surgery on the quality of life of patients with class III deformity treated by orthognathic surgery with patients without dentofacial deformity and nontreated class III patients. Materials & In this descriptive-analytic study, 75 individuals aged 18 to 35 years from both genders who referred to Dental Faculty of Islamic Azad University, Isfahan branch, Isfahan, Iran, were chosen. Thirty subjects had undergone the surgery for class III malocclusion, and at least 6 months passed from their surgery. Thirty individuals with no dentofacial deformity and fifteen untreated patients with class III malocclusion were selected. Then the orthognathic quality of life questionnaires were provided for the patients, and the results were compared. The questionnaire included four aspects of social, dentofacial esthetics, oral function, and awareness of dentofacial aesthetics. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, least significant difference follow-up test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. The mean scores of total quality of life (P=0.02), dentofacial esthetics (P=0.003), oral function (P=0.04), and social domain were significantly different among the three groups; but there was no significant difference between the mean scores of quality of life in awareness of dentofacial aesthetics among the three groups (P=0.81). The mean score of quality of life in the awareness of dentofacial aesthetics domain was the same in the group of treated class III individuals and the group with no dentofacial deformity. Moreover, it was lower in nontreated class III cases.   The quality of life of the patients with class III malocclusion after orthognathic surgery improved, compared to the level of the control group (with no dentofacial deformities), and it was greater than that of the untreated class III group. This difference was greater in oral function and social domains and lower in the awareness of dentofacial aesthetics domain.