chairside adjustment
Any modification to a prosthetic restoration made by the clinician in the dental surgery, as opposed to laboratory remakes or reworking.
Full Definition
Chairside adjustment refers to the intraoral or in-surgery modification of a prosthesis or restoration—including occlusal grinding, margin trimming, acrylic reduction, polishing, or relining—performed by the dentist without returning the work to the laboratory. While chairside adjustments are routine for minor corrections, they can compromise the integrity of laboratory-fabricated materials, particularly ceramics or precisely milled restorations. Laboratory reports and invoices often require documentation of whether adjustments were performed chairside or returned for laboratory correction, as this affects billing, warranty, and material liability. Editors should note that 'chairside' is consistently written as one word (no hyphen) in contemporary dental literature.
Usage
Usage note: Write as one word: 'chairside,' not 'chair-side' or 'chair side.' This is the established convention in contemporary dental literature and laboratory documentation.
In Context
- "The occlusal high spot was managed by chairside adjustment rather than a laboratory recall." — Clinical completion note
- "Excessive chairside adjustment of the porcelain surface had removed the characterisation layer applied by the technician." — Case review report