title: Changes in quality of life and their relation to cephalometric changes in orthognathic surgery patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate correlations between presurgical and postsurgical changes in quality of life (QoL) and cephalometric hard and soft tissue changes in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consisted of 30 patients (mean age 24.3 ± 4.5 years) with Class III malocclusion undergoing orthognathic surgery for mandibular setback with a median follow-up of 8.3 ± 1.2 months. Presurgical and postsurgical cephalograms were traced and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaires were completed. Each questionnaire consisted of 14 items designed to evaluate functional, physical, psychological, and social impacts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant correlations between significant presurgical-to-postsurgical changes in individual items and OHIP parameters were found between labiomental angle (LA) and question 5 ("feeling self-conscious"; correlation coefficient [r]  =  0.530), between LA and question 6 ("feeling tense"; r  =  0.598), between nasion-pogonion and question 5 (r  =  0.523), and between facial convexity and question 5 (r  =  -0.540). Hence, reduction of both LA and nasion-pogonion led to a significant decrease in the impact scores of items covering psychological discomfort, while reduced facial convexity led to increased impact scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the associations were moderate, changes in QoL following cephalometric modifications should be considered as a major concern when planning orthognathic surgery. Postsurgical changes to a more convex profile after mandibular setback should be emphasized before surgery to help patients become accustomed to their new appearance more easily without negatively affecting QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, School of Medicine of the University of Göttingen, Bremen, Germany. janrustem@gmx.de
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rustemeyer
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gregersen
mesh_terms: D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000473:pathology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002680:Chin / Q000473:pathology; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D059229:Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus / Q000523:psychology; D011378:Prognathism / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult