Evaluation of Psychosocial Effects of Orthognathic Treatments and Maxillofacial Surgeries on Candidates for Maxillofacial Surgeries

The aim of orthosurgery treatment is not only to improve the function and esthetic appearance of dentofacial deformities but also to pay attention to patients’ psychological functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial effects of orthognathic treatment and maxillofacial surgeries on candidates for maxillofacial surgeries. In this descriptive‒analytical study, 27 patients who were candidates for orthognathic surgery were selected and assessed by MMPI questionnaire one month before surgery and two months after surgery. Then, the results were compared with a control group consisting of 30 dental students with Angle class I occlusion, who were matched in terms of sex and age. Data were analyzed with t-test, paired t-test and chi-squared test (α = 0.05). Schizophrenia, psychasthenia, paranoia and depression scores in the test group were significantly higher than those in the control group before the surgery (p value < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in other psychosocial profiles between the test and control groups before surgery. The mean depression score was significantly higher in the test group compared to the control group after surgery (p value < 0.04); however, other psychological profiles were not significant different between the two groups. The mean schizophrenia and psychasthenia scores decreased significantly after surgery (p value < 0.05), with no significant differences in other psychological aspects. Maxillofacial deformities might result in some psychological disorders in patients and orthognathic surgery might help decrease some of these disorders.