Patient stories

Behind the smile, there is a story

The LM-Activator™ has helped many young people achieve a healthier occlusion and better oral health – but its effects go far beyond that. Our patient stories reveal how this simple yet effective orthodontic treatment method has improved young people’s quality of life, self-esteem, and even sleep quality.

My son Tatu had a public orthodontic assessment when he was 8 years old, but he did not meet the treatment criteria. However, the mother of one of Tatu’s friends is a dentist, and she told me at the time that in terms of orthodontic results, the best time to start the treatment was now, as this when the eruption of permanent teeth was starting and the accompanying growth spurt can be used fully. We considered private orthodontic treatment, and eventually we made an appointment at the Hohde Helsinki Gaselli Clinic.

Orthodontist Siru Riekki said that Tatu’s distal bite could be treated with LM-Activator™. She was great at motivating Tatu to use the appliance at night, and he responded positively to starting orthodontic treatment with the LM-Activator™ eruption guidance appliance. The LM-Activator™ stayed in his mouth well throughout the night, and he got used to using the appliance without any problems. We have had follow-up visits every three months for the past two years and we could see results really quickly and the distal bite was corrected. Tatu doesn’t need to use LM-Activator™ every night now, as every other night is sufficient. The treatment is currently in the retention phase, where the goal is to maintain the achieved result.

According to orthodontist Siru Riekki, the LM-Activator™ eruption guidance appliance is a great addition to the range of orthodontic appliances. It works well for specific malocclusions, such as in Tatu’s case, where the upper front teeth had advanced slightly outward and distal bite could be seen in the jaw. LM-Activator™ brings the lower jaw forward and straightens the upper teeth. Tatu’s eruption guidance appliance has not needed any modifications. We are very pleased with the good orthodontic results we have achieved with LM-Activator™.

Tatu’s mother

Vera, 12 years old: deep bite, crowding

Mom’s tip: Orthodontic treatment in elementary school-age is worth the effort – Vera’s story

We noticed that Vera’s teeth were a bit crooked when her permanent teeth began to erupt. Her diagnosis was deep bite and crowding, mainly in the lower anterior area. The next step was to make an appointment at the dentist’s office for a dental X-ray and get plaster casts of her teeth. The orthodontist decided to start treatment with LM-Activator™ as it is effective for treating deep bite and opening the bite, that was well needed in Vera’s case. The model used was yellow LM-Activator 45 Low Short.

Vera got used to using the eruption guidance appliance reasonably well. At first, she used it during the day and pretty quickly she started using the LM-Activator™ at night. She also took breaks while having a flu. The effect of using LM-Activator™ was faster than expected.

The total treatment period lasted from November 2018 to October 2021, when Vera had the final check-up and permanent retention wire was fitted. The treatment resulted in a Class I bite, the deep bite was corrected and a clear reduction of crowding in the lower anterior area was seen.

Vera is very happy with her smile and teeth, and so are we as her parents. From a mother’s point of view, I think 9 was a good age to start the orthodontic treatment as elementary school-aged children are often receptive to treatment and adaptable.

Vera’s mother