Importance of oral functions and aesthetics of maxillofacial rehabilitation patients

Objectives: Patients' subjective value may be influenced by type of operation in maxillofacial region. The purpose of this study was to verify the hypothesis that defects sites in maxillofacial region would influence the patients' value about oral functions including aesthetics.

Methods: Post-resection patients of maxillofacial region were candidates in this study and classified into three groups: maxillectomy, mandibulectomy and glossectomy.

Patients' subjective value of oral functions was evaluated by using an original questionnaire that consisted of six questions: two to make the ranking of important functions and aesthetics, two to estimate items quantitatively with using pie-charts, and two to self-evaluate improvement of functions and aesthetics by wearing prosthesis. Each score in three groups was analyzed with Stat View 5.0 for Macintosh.

Results: In total 80 head and neck cancer patients, 37 maxillectomy, 23 mandibulectomy and 20 glossectomy patients, were candidates.

Ranking of important factors in oral functions including aesthetics

There was no statistical difference among three groups (p=0.4614, repeated measure ANOVA). Meanwhile there were differences among oral functions (p<0.0001, Kruskal-Wallis test).

Totally the most important factor in oral functions was eating, secondly speech, and aesthetics was last (p<0.0001, Scheffe test).

Ranking of important factors in eating

The group factor and the eating factor interacted with each other (p=0.0193). Maxillectomy and mandibulectomy patients perceived that chewing was the most important factor in eating. Meanwhile there was no statistical difference among chewing, tasting and swallowing in glossectomy group.

Conclusion: In conclusion, eating was more important than speech and aesthetics for maxillofacial rehabilitation patients. However the factor of defect site in maxillofacial region would partially influence the patients' subjective value. Chewing was the most important factor in eating for maxillectomy and mandibulectomy patients, but chewing was as important so tasting and swallowing for glossectomy patient.