QoL and Resilience following Orthognathic surgery- version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What factors influence quality of life and resilience following orthognathic surgery?
IRAS ID
158412
Contact name
Ninu Paul
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Research summary
Orthognathic surgery is an operation to correct discrepancies which can occur in a person’s jaw. The operation repositions either upper, lower or both the jaws. People with jaw discrepancies may have a visible difference that subjects them to various psychological distresses such as bullying, teasing etc. Jaw discrepancy may also be accompanied with misalignment of their teeth. This can cause problems in chewing, biting and speech which can lead to poor quality of life (QoL). People with such concerns present to dentist to have their teeth aligned using orthodontics. However for such jaw discrepancies surgical treatment is often required. Orthognathic surgery can be undertaken only after the person has completed growth (boys > 18 years and girls > 16 years of age) so that the bones do not change any further. This could also mean functional difficulties, appearance concerns and psychological distress during early developmental stages of these young adults. But studies have shown that many people learn how to cope with such difficulties while some people do not. There are various positive coping measures such as optimism, high self-esteem and resilience (ability to cope with stresses in life) that help in adjusting with stresses. Orthognathic treatment takes 18- 24 months for completion since there is a need for orthodontic treatment before and after the surgery to bring teeth in alignment with the new jaw position. Hence the treatment itself can be challenging. Most of the previous studies have found a positive improvement in QoL and psychological impact on patients following orthognathic treatment, but a few people had negative impact too. In this study we hope to develop a model that can predict the outcome of orthognathic surgery in the form of QoL and resilience. This could be a useful tool for clinicians and patients to know who can cope better with this face changing surgery.
REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/1488
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion