Maxillofacial Rehabilitation Using Motor Imagery vs Sham After Orthognathic Surgery

Dento-maxillary dysmorphoses are defined as an anomaly in the relative growth of the maxilla and/or mandible. They lead to functional disorders (i.e., disturbances in chewing or oral communication) and aesthetic issues with psychological repercussions on self-esteem, affecting the quality of life of these patients. The multidisciplinary treatment involves orthodontics (duration = 18-24 months), orthognathic surgery involving the maxillary and/or mandibular bone (at 12 months), immediately followed by physiotherapy (duration = 3 months). One main goal after surgery is the recovery of month opening to restore an appropriate orofacial function. Motor imagery (mental rehearsal of a movement without actually moving) is effectively used in athletes and in rehabilitation mainly neurological but so far has not been investigated in maxillofacial rehabilitation. Considering that the effectiveness of rehabilitation is increased when physical and mental practices are combined, this leads to propose this study aiming to investigate whether the addition of motor imagery of the maxillofacial region to maxillofacial physiotherapy (based on a practice of physical therapeutic exercises) modifies the recovery of maximum mouth opening, other ranges of motion, jaw function, and quality of life in patients after orthognathic surgery compared to the addition of a control cognitive task \[watching a non-emotional content film or filling out a crossword or Sudoku grid\] to maxillofacial physiotherapy.