## 4 Discussion
Orthopedic or functional appliances designed to improve mandibular position and enhance airway volume may be particularly beneficial for these patients. However, this relationship may vary in normodivergent and hypodivergent individuals. In this regard, the present study yielded results like those of [PERSON] et al. [6], [PERSON] et al. [30] and [PERSON] et al. [24]. In their study, [PERSON] et al. [24] evaluated airway dimensions in patients with varying vertical growth patterns and found that the hyperdivergent group exhibited the lowest oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal and total airway volumes. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. [12] reported that the average airway volume in hypodivergent individuals was significantly higher than in hyperdivergent individuals. Conversely, [PERSON] et al. [32] found no significant association between airway volume and vertical growth patterns. These discrepancies may stem from methodological differences, including variations in software, sample size, and imaging modalities used across studies. This study aimed to assess mandibular condyle volume in different vertical growth patterns and its correlation with airway volume. [PERSON] et al. [33], found that hyperdivergent individuals had reduced superior joint spaces and posteriorly inclined condyles, whereas normodivergent and hypodivergent individuals had larger joint spaces and anteriorly positioned condyles. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. [34] reported smaller, more superiorly positioned condyles in hyperdivergent individuals. Consistent with these findings, this study observed significantly lower condylar volumes in the hyperdivergent group. Since the mandible in hyperdivergent tends to rotate downward and backward, condylar development may be affected. Additionally, their masticatory muscles are typically less developed with lower muscle tone [35], leading to reduced mechanical loading on the condyle, potentially limiting bone growth and contributing to smaller condylar volume. [PERSON] et al. [11] investigated the relationship between condylar position (anterior, posterior, central) and airway volume using CBCT, finding significant differences in pharyngeal airway volume based on condylar position. Unlike their study, this research focused on condylar volume and its correlation with airway volume but found no significant association, suggesting that condylar volume may not directly influence airway volume or that its effect was not evident in the analyzed sample. A larger sample or different measurement parameters may provide further insight. However, a strong correlation was observed between right and left condylar volumes across all groups, aligning with [PERSON] et al. [26], while [PERSON] et al. [36] reported a significantly larger right condyle, highlighting potential anatomical variations. This study has several limitations. The sample, limited to individuals with skeletal Class I malocclusion, may affect the generalizability of the findings. Variations in patient positioning and motion artifacts could also impact segmentation accuracy. While AI-assisted segmentation improves accuracy, CBCT imaging has inherent limitations, including motion artifacts, the need for semi-automatic airway adjustments, and its inability to assess dynamic airway function, unlike 4D techniques. Future studies should include larger, more diverse samples with varying skeletal classifications, demographics, and physiological factors to enhance validation and investigate condylar and airway morphology variations. Advancements in AI-assisted segmentation should also be explored to improve accuracy and reduce operator dependency.