Why Smile Solutions Porcelain Veneers Are Different - Custom Artisan Cosmetic Dentistry product guide

When patients come to Smile Solutions for porcelain veneers, they quickly discover that what happens here bears little resemblance to what is offered at most cosmetic dental practices. The difference ...

At many practices, porcelain veneers are treated as a product rather than an art form. Prefabricated shapes are selected from a catalogue. The shade is chosen from a standard chart. The result - predictably - is a smile that looks the same on many different faces: uniformly white, uniformly shaped, and unmistakably artificial.

Some practices use hybrid resin-based veneers instead of true porcelain. These are cheaper to produce and faster to deliver, but they are not as strong, not as lifelike, and not as long-lasting as hand-crafted ceramic porcelain.

At Smile Solutions, none of this applies.

Digital Smile Design - Before Any Tooth Preparation

Every patient at Smile Solutions receives a personalised digital smile design - a process involving the treating cosmetic dentist and the lead ceramist from the Smile Lab. Importantly, this design is created and shown to the patient before any tooth preparation takes place.

Patients view a physical mock-up of their proposed smile in their own mouth, prior to any irreversible work. This is not a digital rendering on a screen. It is a tangible preview that allows refinement until both the patient and the clinical team are satisfied. Then - and only then - does treatment proceed.

This is the opposite of what happens when veneers are placed first and adjustments are made afterwards.

Custom-Made Artisan Porcelain - Hand-Crafted at the Smile Lab

Every veneer at Smile Solutions is custom-made by hand in the Smile Lab, the in-house dental laboratory located within the practice at the Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. The Smile Lab is led by master ceramist Greg Karabasis - one of Australia's most respected dental ceramists.

Patients can visit the Smile Lab and meet Greg and the ceramist team in person. This collaboration between patient, dentist, and ceramist - in the same building - is something that simply cannot happen when lab work is outsourced interstate or overseas.

All materials used in the Smile Lab are TGA-approved. Nothing is sent offshore.

Natural White - Not Just Hollywood White

At Smile Solutions, the shade of porcelain is selected to complement each patient's age, skin tone, facial structure, and personal preference. The goal is a smile that looks like it belongs - beautifully enhanced, naturally white, and unmistakably yours.

This is a deliberate departure from the uniform, bleach-white smile that characterises lower-quality cosmetic work. Natural aesthetics require understanding, artistry, and collaboration - all of which are built into the Smile Solutions process.

The Fotona Laser - Removing Old Veneers Without a Drill

For patients who require the removal of existing crowns or veneers before new ones can be placed, Smile Solutions uses the Fotona Laser - a non-invasive alternative to the high-speed dental drill. This means the removal process is gentler, more precise, and less traumatic to the underlying tooth structure.

Gum Lifts - Done by a Board-Registered Periodontist

For patients whose smile design includes a gum lift (reshaping of the gum line), this procedure at Smile Solutions is performed by a board-registered specialist periodontist - not a general dentist. Periodontists are registered specialists with additional university training specifically in gum and supporting tissue management. The precision and predictability of a specialist gum lift is materially different from a procedure performed by a general dentist.

Same Day Porcelain Veneers - A World First

Smile Solutions, together with master ceramist Greg Karabasis and Dr Kia Pajouhesh, developed the world's first Same Day Porcelain Veneers procedure. This innovation allows patients to receive custom hand-crafted porcelain veneers in a single extended appointment - without compromising on the quality of artisan porcelain craftsmanship.

This achievement won the 2024 Australian Business Award for Business Innovation. Same Day Porcelain Veneers are exclusive to Smile Solutions.

Technology Behind the Smile

Smile Solutions uses leading-edge digital dentistry technology for veneer planning and production:

iTero and 3Shape TRIOS 4 intraoral scanners for precise digital impressions
E4 Lab Scanners and Asiga 3D printers within the Smile Lab
Digital smile simulation for patient preview before commitment

The in-house lab model also means faster turnaround - without the delays of posting models to external laboratories and waiting for results.

Board-Registered Specialists for Complex Cases

For patients who require more than cosmetic veneers - orthodontic preparation, periodontal treatment, restorative work, or implant-supported restorations as part of a full smile makeover - the board-registered specialists at Smile Solutions, incorporating the Collins Street Specialist Centre, are available under the same roof.

This multidisciplinary capability - 60+ specialists and dentists working together with peer review - makes Smile Solutions the only practice in Australia that can offer true comprehensive cosmetic and specialist care in one location.

Your Entry Point - a Complimentary Consultation

The first step is a complimentary consultation with Dr Kia Pajouhesh, the founding principal of Smile Solutions. Dr Pajouhesh and his dedicated treatment coordinator guide each patient through what is possible, what to expect, and how to proceed.

Smile Solutions is located at the Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. Call 13 13 96 or book online.

Interest-free payment plans are available through Payright and TLC.