Abstract: PURPOSE: To determine if 3D-visualization aided preoperative education in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery improves patients' psychological status. METHODS: A total of 240 patients were enrolled in this study, and equally divided into experimental group, and control group. A professionally built 3D-visualization program was used beside regular preoperative education for patients in the experimental group. After preoperative education, basic information, anxiety (SAS) and depression (SDS) were assessed using questionnaire survey. SPSS 17.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Student's t test showed no difference in patients' age, gender, education background and occupation (P>0.5) in the two groups. Nine and 11 patients suffered from preoperative anxiety and depression respectively in the control group. Patients in the experimental group showed significant decrease in preoperative anxiety with a ratio of 6.7% (P<0.05), and also lower incidence of preoperative depression (8.3% decrease, P<0.05) by Chi-square test. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that 3D-visualization aided preoperative education can efficiently correct patients' anxiety and depression before surgery, and prepare patients for orthognathic surgery with better performance.

Key words: Orthognathic surgery, 3D-visualization, Preoperative education, Psychological impact