Assessment of satisfaction following orthognathic surgery in patients with class II and class III dentofacial deformities in Turkey: a retrospective cross-sectional study

This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative satisfaction levels of patients with skeletal Class II and Class III dentofacial deformities who underwent orthognathic surgery, and to investigate the potential correlations between satisfaction outcomes and sociodemographic variables. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, a total of 97 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Marmara University, between 2018 and 2022, and for whom at least 6 months had elapsed since the surgery, were evaluated via a questionnaire. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of Class II and Class III deformities; satisfaction levels were statistically analyzed within and across the groups, as well as by demographic characteristics. The overall patient satisfaction rate following orthognathic surgery was 94.8%. The highest satisfaction rates were recorded for speech satisfaction (97.9%) and lip posture/closure (92.8%). Conversely, the lowest positive response rate was observed regarding neurosensory changes in the lower lip and chin region (62.8%). No statistically significant differences in satisfaction levels were observed between the Class II and Class III deformity groups ( p > 0.05). Among the evaluated sociodemographic variables, educational status was the sole factor that demonstrated a statistically significant impact, specifically on speech satisfaction ( p = 0.020). Overall patient satisfaction after orthognathic surgery is high. The vast majority of patients expressed a positive attitude toward undergoing the procedure again and would recommend it to others. Although satisfaction with neurosensory recovery remains relatively low, the high overall satisfaction rates indicate that the aesthetic and functional gains may outweigh the negative impact of neurosensory disturbances. Furthermore, the independence of satisfaction levels from most socio-demographic characteristics underlines the predictable and universally beneficial outcomes of orthognathic interventions across diverse patient profiles.