Satisfaction with orthognathic surgery of skeletal Class III patients.

Background: Class III relationships can be corrected with single-jaw or bimaxillary surgery. The purpose of this research was to assess patient satisfaction after bimaxillary surgery, compared with setback surgery alone, for Class III corrections. Identifying patients' relative levels of satisfaction will provide guidance for the selection of surgical options.

Methods: The cephalometric outcomes for 25 patients who underwent 2-jaw surgery were compared with the outcomes in 40 patients who had mandibular setback. Soft and hard tissue changes were evaluated using initial and postsurgical lateral cephalograms. The patients were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires after orthognathic treatment. Correlations between cephalometric improvement and patient satisfaction were evaluated.

Results: The patients in the 2-jaw group reported significantly higher satisfaction in the appearance of the mouth (P <0.05), smile (P <0.05), and treatment outcome (P <0.001). These item scores and the changes in ANB, ANS-M, and nasolabial angle showed strong correlations in the 2-jaw group and moderate correlations in the 1-jaw group.

Conclusions: ANS-M and nasolabial angle should be considered in the conventional diagnosis of skeletal Class III orthognathic surgery to obtain adequate correction of facial esthetics and patient satisfaction. Esthetic needs contribute to surgical decisions when treating patients with skeletal Class III malocclusions and dentofacial deformities such as maxillary deficiency and long facial height that causes a turned-up upper lip.