Impact on Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life in Skeletal Class III Patients Treated With Orthognathic Surgery‐First Approach Using Orthodontic Aligners or Fixed Appliances: A Controlled Clinical Study

TL;DR

This study compared the impact of two orthodontic methods on quality of life for patients with skeletal Class III treated with surgery-first approach, finding similar outcomes.

Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the effectiveness of clear aligners versus fixed appliances in improving quality of life after orthognathic surgery.

Findings

No significant differences in quality of life were found between clear aligners and fixed appliances after six months of treatment.

Both methods showed significant improvements in oral health-related quality of life over time.

Orthognathic surgery positively impacts overall well-being regardless of appliance type.

Abstract

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the impact on oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) in skeletal Class III patients treated with the surgery‐first approach using either orthodontic aligners or fixed appliances.

Patients were treated using the Surgery‐First Approach (SFA) combined with either clear aligner (CA) or conventional fixed appliances (FA). A total of 20 patients (male and female) were allocated to the CA group, while 14 were included in the FA group. OHRQoL was assessed using the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ), the Oral Health Impact Profile‐14 (OHIP‐14) and the SF‐36 at different time periods: (T0) pre‐treatment, (T1) 1 week after orthodontic appliance installation, (T2) 4 weeks post‐surgery and (T3) 6 months post‐surgery. Data analysis was conducted using the Friedman and Mann–Whitney tests, with a significance level of 5%.

No statistically significant differences were found in OHRQoL scores between the CA and FA groups at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. However, significant intra‐group improvements were observed over time, particularly between the first and sixth months of treatment.

Both ortho‐surgical approaches, using either clear aligners or fixed appliances, resulted in significant improvements in patient quality of life. These findings highlight the positive impact of orthognathic treatment on dentofacial correction and overall well‐being, regardless of the appliance type.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05822271.

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