title: Impact of orthognathic surgery on quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine changes in quality of life (QOL) following orthognathic surgery in patients with dentofacial deformity, using generic health, generic oral health, and condition-specific QOL approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six patients were evaluated at baseline presurgical (T(0)), 6 weeks postoperatively (T(1)), and 6 months postoperatively (T(2)). Generic health-related QOL was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), generic oral health-related QOL was assessed by the 14-item Short Form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), and condition-specific QOL was assessed by the 22-item Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant reduction (deterioration) in SF-36 summary physical (P < .01) and mental health scores (P < .001) at 6 weeks after surgery but no significant change in overall OHIP-14 or OQLQ scores. At 6 months after surgery, SF-36 summary scores returned to baseline levels and significant reduction (improvements) in OHIP-14 (P < .001) and OQLQ mean scores (P < .001) were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant changes in QOL occurred following orthognathic surgery. A marked but transient deterioration in many aspects related to general well being was noted in the early postoperative period and significant improvement was documented by 6 months. A comprehensive assessment of QOL using generic health, generic oral health, and condition-specific approaches proved useful in determining such changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Hong Kong Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Shermin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Colman
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome