Does orthognathic surgery improve myofacial pain in individuals with skeletal class III? One-year follow-up

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of orthognathic surgery on temporomandibular disorder (TMD) in patients with skeletal class III malocclusion.

Study design: Forty-seven patients undergoing surgery were evaluated by a trained examiner using Axis I of the Research Diagnostic Criteria/TMD index, consecutively, at 3 different periods: 1 week before operation (T0), 6 months after operation (T1), and 1 year after operation (T2). Bivariate analyses were performed to compare the evaluation periods (P < .05).

Results: The prevalence of TMD in the sampled patients from T0 to T1 decreased from 30 (63.8%) to 22 (46.8%) (P = .021). Even in T2, the prevalence of TMD remained lower than that in T0, at 21 (44.7%) diagnosed patients (P = .049). The reported frequencies of myofascial pain and headache were lower in T1 and T2 than in T0 (P < .001). Decrease in the frequency of joint pain and joint sounds was observed only from T0 to T1 (P = .039 and P = .021, respectively). The mean maximum of mouth opening decreased from T0 to T1 (P < .001) and increased again at T2 (P < .001).

Conclusions: Orthognathic surgery promoted reduction in the frequencies of myofascial pain and headache reported by patients with skeletal class III malocclusion.