## 2 Materials and Methods  
This study was carried out as a retrospective radiographic research study and was performed in a private clinic (A.G., E.M.), in compliance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, on medical protocol and ethics. Orthpanoramic radiographs taken in the period between January 2015 and December 2021 were considered. A total of 726 OPTs were examined, but only 81 were suitable for the present study considering the following evaluation criteria: patients with included or erupted lower third molars, no history of pathology associated with third molars, no previous orthodontic treatment, complete formation of the tooth's root and good OPT quality [27]. The radiographs were all taken on the Carestream C8100 3D CBCT digital radiography machine, with an OPT function. We analyzed both sides of the maxillary bones indiscriminately. We only considered the side that was included in the selection criteria. OPTs with one side of the third molar impacted and the other side fully erupted were excluded. The radiographs included patients aged between 18 and 25 years old, of both sexes (50 male and 31 female). The results were divided into 2 groups:  
Group A: control group comprising 38 cases with at least one lower third molar erupted. Group B: experimental group comprising 43 cases with at least one lower third molar included or partially included and, therefore, not in functional occlusion. Groups were further divided into male and female groups, male experimental group B (MB) (\(n=24\)), male control group A (MA) (\(n=26\)), female experimental group B (FB) (\(n=19\)) and female control group A (FA) (\(n=12\)), and were compared with their equivalent subgroups in the control group. Interpretation of the digital panoramic radiographic images was performed using Carestream Dental Imaging Software. Using the digital ruler and protractor functions, 16 variables (11 linear, 4 angular and 1 ratio) were determined and measured by an experienced observer (Figures 1 and 2) [1; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 28; 29; 10; 33; 27; 33]. The \(11\) linear measurements are represented in Figure 1 and listed in Table 1 with their corresponding numbers:  
1. [label=0.,leftmargin=*]
2. Condyle length from the highest point of the mandibular condyle's head to lowest point of the mandibular sigmoid notch plane, along the long axis of the condylar process. 3. Coronoid length from the highest point of the mandibular coronoid process to the lowest point of the mandibular sigmoid notch plane, along the long axis of the coronoid process. 4. Ramus height from the lowest point of the mandibular sigmoid notch to the point in the anterogional notch of the mandible, the ramus and body of the mandible are joined. 5. Total ramus height from the highest point of the mandibular condyle's head to the intersection point of the ramus plane and the mandibular plane. 6. Ramal width from the deepest point of the anterior ramus notch concavity to the deepest point of the posterior ramus notch concavity. 7. Mandibular body length from the intersection point of the ramus plane and the mandibular plane to the midpoint of the mandible. Figure 1: Linear measurements. Figure 2: Angular measurements. Sigmoid notch depth: the perpendicular line from the lowest point of the mandibular sigmoid notch to a line from the condylion and coronoid process. * Posterior ramus notch depth from the perpendicular line from the deepest point of the posterior ramus notch concavity to the line that connects the point where the external contour of the cranial base intersects with the dorsal contour of the condylar head to the point of maximal convexity on the posterior border of the angular process of the mandible. * Anterior ramus notch depth from the perpendicular line from the deepest point of the anterior ramus notch concavity to the perpendicular line to the plane of the sigmoid notch and tangent to the descending anterior border of the ramus of the mandible.