Efficiency and Duration of Orthodontic/Orthognathic Surgery Treatment

Introduction: To investigate the combined orthodontic-orthognathic treatment times at an academic hospital in the UK and to consider the level of occlusal change in delivering this treatment by the way of comparing peer assessment rating (PAR) scores pre- and post-treatment. Methods: It was a retrospective longitudinal study of orthognathic patients between 2010 and 2013 who had completed orthognathic treatment. Analysis of records of 50 patients was carried out. Age, gender malocclusion, and skeletal pattern, extraction/nonextraction of teeth, duration of active orthodontic treatment, number of appointments, transfer of patients between orthodontists mid-treatment, and PAR scores pre and post-treatment were recorded for each patient. Results: The skeletal pattern was III in 70% of and II in 28% of patients. Mean duration of active orthodontic treatment was 27.9 months. Age, gender, malocclusion, and skeletal pattern did not seem to affect treatment times. Extraction of teeth and transfer of operators increased treatment times. The mean PAR reduction was 89% with the PAR efficiency factor (reduction in PAR scores divided by duration of treatment in months) of 1.61. Younger patients, those with class III malocclusions and patients starting with higher PAR scores, achieved greater PAR reductions. Gender, number of appointments, extractions, transfer of operators, and total duration of treatment were not shown to affect the PAR % reduction. Conclusions: Combined orthodontic-orthognathic treatment has been effective in treating patients with severe skeletal discrepancies. Transfer of operators and extractions protracted treatment times. Younger patients and those with class III malocclusions achieved higher PAR % reduction.