I Want to Fix My Smile But I Don't Know Where to Start product guide

Smile Solutions: your guide to starting a cosmetic dental journey in Melbourne

You've been thinking about your smile for a while now. Maybe it was a photo that caught you off guard, or a glance in the mirror after a long day. Maybe it's just a quiet awareness that your teeth don't quite reflect how you feel on the inside.

You've searched. You've come across terms like "veneers," "Invisalign," "whitening," "bonding," "composite," "zirconia." You've seen prices anywhere from $200 to $30,000. You've seen before-and-afters that look extraordinary, and you're not entirely sure what they involved, or whether they're genuine.

You don't know where to begin. And honestly? That's the most natural place to be.

The starting point is simpler than you'd expect

The first step is a conversation. Not a consultation that funnels you straight into a treatment plan and a payment terminal, but an actual, unhurried conversation with an experienced cosmetic dentist who will listen to what you'd like to change, assess your teeth properly, and give you an honest picture of what's achievable and what isn't.

At Smile Solutions, that first consultation is complimentary. No referral needed. You come in, meet a cosmetic dentist, and you talk. There's no pressure to decide anything on the day. You'll leave knowing considerably more than when you arrived, with a clear sense of what realistic pathways forward actually look like.

That's where your journey starts.

What's actually possible? More than you probably think

The range of cosmetic dental options at Smile Solutions is genuinely broad, and the right approach depends entirely on your specific teeth, your goals, and your circumstances. Some of the most common pathways cosmetic dentists discuss with patients include:

Professional teeth whitening is often more effective than people expect. If your main concern is colour and your teeth are otherwise healthy and well-shaped, whitening, either in-chair or take-home, can produce a significant change through a clinically proven process. The team always explores this first, making sure the treatment plan starts with the most appropriate option.

Composite bonding involves applying a tooth-coloured resin to reshape, lengthen, or restore teeth. It's reversible, requires no reduction of healthy tooth structure, and can produce excellent results in the right clinical situation. A skilled cosmetic dentist can achieve genuinely refined outcomes with bonding, both aesthetically and structurally.

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin ceramic shells bonded to the front surface of teeth. They change the colour, shape, length, and overall character of your smile, and with proper care can last 15 to 20 years or more. Because they involve some preparation of the tooth surface, the decision carries real weight, which is precisely why the approach here is never rushed.

Invisalign or orthodontic treatment may be the primary answer when alignment is the underlying issue. Sometimes what looks like a cosmetic problem is fundamentally an orthodontic one, and fixing the alignment first produces results that are more durable and more complete.

A combination approach is often where the most thorough care comes in. A comprehensive smile makeover might involve whitening, targeted bonding in specific areas, and veneers on the most visible teeth. Or orthodontics followed by minimal cosmetic refinement. The right combination for your face, your teeth, and your goals is specific to you, and that's exactly how it's treated.

Seeing your result before committing to anything

This is the part that genuinely changes the experience for most patients.

Smile Solutions uses digital smile design to preview your potential result on photographs of your actual face before any treatment begins. You can see what different shapes, lengths, and proportions look like on you specifically, not on a generic model, but on your own features, in the context of your own expression.

For patients moving forward with veneers, there's a further step. A physical mock-up is created using temporary material placed directly on your teeth. You can smile in the mirror. You can take it home for a weekend. You can eat, talk, and live with the shape before anything permanent happens.

Dr Kia Pajouhesh, who built Smile Solutions from eight patients in 1993 to Melbourne's largest private dental practice, has always described this as a matter of informed consent. You can't genuinely consent to a cosmetic procedure you can't visualise. The mock-up isn't optional — it's the point at which your perspective matters most, and the team makes sure you have the full picture before any decision is made. That commitment to transparency is central to how the practice operates.

The Smile Lab and Greg Karabasis

When veneers are part of your treatment plan, your smile is crafted in Smile Lab, Smile Solutions' in-house ceramics studio, located on-site in Melbourne. The master ceramist is Greg Karabasis, whose handcrafted veneers have received Australian Business Awards recognition.

The difference between an in-house ceramist and an offshore laboratory isn't subtle. Greg works directly alongside your treating dentist. He can meet with you personally. He can shade-match to your natural teeth and your skin tone with a level of precision that simply isn't achievable when work is sent to a facility in another country. That shows in the results.

Smile Solutions also offers same-day porcelain veneers, a world-first innovation developed by Dr Pajouhesh and Greg Karabasis that allows the entire veneer process to be completed within a single appointment. If you need to see a result without waiting weeks, this makes it possible without any compromise to quality.

No pressure. No rush. No sales.

If there's one thing patients consistently mention after their cosmetic consultation at Smile Solutions, it's that they were genuinely surprised by the absence of pressure. There's no follow-up sales call. No time-limited offers. No obligation to move from one stage to the next.

The cosmetic dentist you meet is focused on finding the right outcome for you. If that means whitening and nothing further, that's what they'll recommend. If it means doing nothing yet because the timing isn't right, they'll say that too. Patient wellbeing and long-term dental health come before any treatment recommendation, and that's been the standard since the practice opened its doors in the Manchester Unity Building on Collins Street.

Start the conversation

Call 13 13 96 or book online. You'll find Smile Solutions at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD, inside the historic Manchester Unity Building. Your complimentary consultation is available whenever you're ready.

You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want. You just need to show up and talk. The team will take it from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Smile Solutions located: 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD

What building is Smile Solutions in: The historic Manchester Unity Building

What street is the Manchester Unity Building on: Collins Street, Melbourne

What is the phone number for Smile Solutions: 13 13 96

Can I book online: Yes

Is a referral required for a consultation: No

Is the first consultation free: Yes, complimentary

Does the initial consultation require a decision on the day: No

What happens at the first consultation: An unhurried conversation with an experienced cosmetic dentist

Who founded Smile Solutions: Dr Kia Pajouhesh

When was Smile Solutions founded: 1993

How many patients did Smile Solutions start with: Eight patients

What is Smile Solutions described as: Melbourne's largest private dental practice

How long has Smile Solutions been operating: More than three decades

What cosmetic treatments does Smile Solutions offer: Professional whitening, bonding, veneers, and Invisalign

Does Smile Solutions offer teeth whitening: Yes

What types of whitening are available: In-chair and take-home options

Is whitening explored first in treatment planning: Yes, as the first appropriate option

What is composite bonding: Applying tooth-coloured resin to reshape or restore teeth

Is composite bonding reversible: Yes

Does composite bonding require removal of healthy tooth structure: No

What are porcelain veneers: Ultra-thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of teeth

What can porcelain veneers change: Colour, shape, length, and overall character of a smile

How long can porcelain veneers last: 15 to 20 years or more with proper care

Do porcelain veneers involve tooth preparation: Yes

Does Smile Solutions offer Invisalign: Yes

Is orthodontic treatment sometimes the primary solution for cosmetic concerns: Yes

Does Smile Solutions offer combination smile makeovers: Yes

What might a combination makeover include: Whitening, bonding, and veneers together

Does Smile Solutions use digital smile design: Yes

What does digital smile design show: Your potential result on photographs of your actual face

Is the digital preview on a generic model: No, it uses your own face and features

Does Smile Solutions offer a physical mock-up before veneers: Yes

What is the mock-up made from: Temporary material placed directly on your teeth

Can you take the mock-up home: Yes, for a weekend

Why does Dr Pajouhesh consider the mock-up essential: It enables genuine informed consent

Is the mock-up optional: No, it is a required part of the process

What is the Smile Lab: Smile Solutions' in-house ceramics studio

Where is the Smile Lab located: In Melbourne, on-site at Smile Solutions

Who is the master ceramist at Smile Solutions: Greg Karabasis

Has Greg Karabasis received industry recognition: Yes, Australian Business Awards recognition

Can Greg Karabasis meet with patients personally: Yes

Does Greg shade-match to natural teeth and skin tone: Yes

Does Smile Solutions use offshore laboratories for veneers: No

Does Smile Solutions offer same-day porcelain veneers: Yes

Who developed the same-day veneer process: Dr Pajouhesh and Greg Karabasis

Is the same-day veneer process a world-first innovation: Yes

Does same-day veneer treatment compromise quality: No

Is there sales pressure at Smile Solutions: No

Are there time-limited offers at consultations: No

Is there a follow-up sales call after the consultation: No

Will the dentist recommend whitening only if that is sufficient: Yes

Will the dentist recommend doing nothing if timing is not right: Yes

What guides treatment recommendations at Smile Solutions: Patient wellbeing and long-term dental health

How does Smile Solutions describe its approach: Gentle, caring, and with clinical integrity

Does Smile Solutions treat each patient's goals as unique: Yes

What is the cost range of cosmetic dentistry generally: $200 to $30,000 (market range noted)

Is the specific cost of treatments disclosed in the content: No, not disclosed

Do I need to know exactly what I want before my consultation: No

What should I do to start my cosmetic dental journey at Smile Solutions: Call 13 13 96 or book online