Quality of Life Assessment for Elderly Patients Treated With Orthognathic Surgery

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of orthognathic surgery on quality of life (QoL) in elderly patients. Methods: Twenty patients who underwent orthognathic surgery to correct Angle Class I, II e, III relations were evaluated. Condition-specific QoL through a 22-item Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) and generic oral health-related QoL through a 14-item short-form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) were assessed. Results: A statistically significant reduction (P < 0.001) in the average overall score was detected between the presurgical and postsurgical assessments. Male group showed significant improvement in physical pain (P = 0.047) and psychological discomfort (P = 0.039). No difference was found between the OHIP-14 (P = 0.582) and OQLQ (P = 0.525) total scores for the type of surgery (mono-maxillary or bimaxillary). Conclusions: Orthognathic surgical treatment had a positive impact on oral health-related QoL in the patients evaluated. The results of this study emphasize the concept that dental esthetics influence patients' oral health-related QoL.