Dentally Incorrect

Halloween Monster Match
Can you name the patient? (Answers are tiny and upside-down at bottom of page)

1. This patient presented with protruding #24 and #14 and a chief complaint that he “couldn’t go out into daylight like this.” Honestly, it wasn’t that bad, but some people just can’t seem to look at themselves in the mirror. Was very polite and eager once invited into the practice. My hygienist, Mina, absolutely loved him. My recommendation was a crown shortening and reshaping.

2. Referred to me by another doctor whom I’ve not been able to get any records or X-rays from (of course). Looked to me like he’d had a ton of work done already—a real mishmash of crowns, partials, composites and screw-retained implants. It was so sloppy, it may as well have been held on with nuts and bolts. Patient was incredibly sensitive during the new patient exam and frankly, I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t be shocked if the quack who sent him my way wasn’t even a real doctor.

3. The front desk had to call this guy three times before he showed up … and when he did, he walked in wearing this obnoxious striped suit like he owned the place! Despite the expensive-looking attire, this guy had some of the worst OH and extensive decay I’ve seen since doing full-mouth extractions in school, not to mention the inappropriate passes at my assistant, Lydia.

4. This 34-year-old patient presented with a pair of badly cracked canines, which I’m sure was causing discomfort but he just wouldn’t stop howling with pain. By the time I got him in the operatory he had already become pretty snappy with me, which I didn’t appreciate. Talked him into implants. He’s coming back same time next month.

5. A shy, wonderfully polite 12-year-old patient presented with a frightening list of features that got my attention right away, including her dazed demeanor, an odd gray cast to her skin, swollen parotid glands, sparse hair along her scalp, and enough dental erosion that you would think she’s been throwing up three liters of pea soup each day for a year! Within a minute of having her in the chair, the politeness vanished, a tantrum started, and she yelled some terrible things about my mother.