[Patient satisfaction with the outcome of surgical orthodontic intervention and effect of esthetic and functional criteria].

[BACKGROUND] The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of possible temporary or permanent disorders of sensation on the degree of the patient's satisfaction following an orthognathic operation.

[PATIENTS AND METHODS] After an average of 47 months (range: 9-141), a follow-up examination was performed in 78 women (64.5%) and 43 men (35.5%) with an average age of 24.3 years (range: 19-40) at the time of operation. In 67 cases there had been a sagittal division of the mandible, in 11 cases a Le Fort I osteotomy, in 26 cases a bimaxillary osteotomy, in 4 cases an isolated genioplasty, and in 13 cases a segmental osteotomy in the upper or the lower jaw. In the peripheral area supplied by the nerves V2 and V3 sensation was examined by the two-point discrimination test and the result related to the patients' satisfaction using the chi-square test.

[RESULTS AND DISCUSSION] The following qualities of sensation were recorded: anesthetic (2.7%), hypesthetic (16.6%), paresthetic (8.3%), and normesthetic (72.4%). The patients' satisfaction was rated as very satisfied in 51.3%, as satisfactory in 44.8%, and in 3.9% the patients' expectations had not been fulfilled; 75% regarded their outward appearance as markedly improved and a good 50% of the patients noted improved mastication. Therefore, three-fourths of all the patients would even be willing to be operated on again. Two-dimensional analysis, however, demonstrated only a weakly significant positive relationship between patient satisfaction and the preserved, or restored, sensation in the trigeminal region.