Trends and Patterns in Oral Surgical Diagnoses and Interventions: A 6-Year Retrospective Study in the Kosovo Population

Abstract Oral surgery epidemiological studies are crucial for understanding the prevalence and distribution of oral and maxillofacial diseases. It can identify risk factors and help in the development of prevention and treatment strategies. This study aimed to identify the most common oral surgical diagnoses and treatments performed over a 6-year period. It also evaluated patient demographic patterns in relation to diagnoses and interventions, along with diagnosis–treatment correlations and yearly trends. This retrospective study analyzed records of 1,528 patients who underwent oral surgery between 2018 and 2023. Diagnoses and treatments were assessed for frequency. Patient age and sex distributions were evaluated across diagnoses and treatments. Trends over time were assessed using normalized frequency and linear regression. The most frequent diagnoses were pericoronitis (32%), short frenulum of the upper lip (19%), and retained root (18%). The most common treatments were surgical tooth extraction (59%), frenectomy (19%), and apicoectomy (13%). Frenectomy was more common in younger patients (<14 years) and females, while alveoloplasty was more frequent in older adults. A strong diagnosis–treatment association was found (p < 0.001). Year-to-year comparisons revealed a general decline in surgical procedures over the study period, particularly in 2020, although trends were not statistically significant. Pericoronitis, frenulum abnormalities, and retained root were the leading oral surgical diagnoses, with tooth extraction being the most common procedure. Diagnosis and treatment patterns varied significantly by age and gender. A nonsignificant decline in surgical volumes suggests post-pandemic shifts toward preventive care.