AIM: The purpose of this work was to investigate the psychosocial aspects related to facial changes in 29 patients, from both genres, between 17 and 46 years old, with indication of surgical treatment, in the preoperative (during orthodontic preparation) and in the postoperative (six months after the surgery) periods. METHODS: Questionnaires, applied during interviews, with questions based on the proposal by Grossbart & Sarwer were used. The technique of content analysis was used, in which the reason for choosing corrective surgery were represented in Category 1 (C1); fantasies related to the results of the corrective surgery (preoperative) and performance (postoperative) in Category 2 (C2); and expectations and satisfaction of the results of the corrective surgery in Category 3 (C3). The answers were grouped in the subcategories: aesthetics (SC1), functional (SC2), social situations (SC3), self-esteem (SC4) and professional (SC5). RESULTS: the results showed that the patients looked for corrective surgery for functional reasons (34.5%), aesthetics (30.9%) and social (29.1%); wished to improve his/her social situation (40%) and the aesthetics (32%), with the fulfillment of these wishes after the surgery. As for the expectations, 49.4% of the patients hoped to improve the functional aspect followed by aesthetics (26.9%); social situations (11.2%) and self-esteem (6.7%). In all aspects the patients were very satisfied because of improvements in their diction, aesthetics, beauty, and the return to life without discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that the patients looked for the corrective surgery with the motivation to improve their functional and aesthetics aspects, they fantasized to improve their social relations and appearance; and hoped, in a realistic way, that the corrective surgery would repaired the function and aesthetics - which are the objectives of the orthognathic surgery.
Plastic surgery; Psychosocial impact; Oral health
