Perceived effectiveness and side effects of intermaxillary fixation for diet control

Weight loss is one of the major side effects associated with intermaxillary fixation (IMF) following orthognathic surgery or jaw fractures. The aim of this study was to retrospectively interview patients treated with intermaxillary fixation for diet control (IMFDC) to collect base-line information regarding: (1) perceived effectiveness, patients’ compliance and patients’ satisfaction with the treatment; (2) the frequency of side effects associated with IMFDC. The results show that IMFDC significantly reduced weight by a mean of 6.8 kg during treatment, and a mean of 4.1 kg at a minimum of 1 month following IMFDC removal (P < 0.0001). Only 32.5% of the patients complied with the planned period of IMFDC treatment while 70% were satisfied with the treatment results. The most common side effects were speech problems and oral–facial pain with a prevalence of 52.5 and 32.5%, respectively. IMFDC treatment is not effective for long-term weight reduction and may only be used for a very short period of time to initiate weight loss. Exercise and/or special diet programs are healthier and better means to treat obesity and maintain weight loss.