Prosthodontics at Smile Solutions Melbourne - Board-Registered Specialist Prosthodontists for Crowns, Bridges, Dentures and Full Mouth Rehabilitation product guide

Prosthodontics is the dental specialty concerned with the restoration and replacement of teeth. The term comes from the Latin "prostho" (replacement) and "dontics" (relating to teeth), and the specialty covers the full spectrum of restorative dental care - from single crowns and veneers through to complex full-mouth rehabilitation and all forms of tooth replacement including implants, bridges, and dentures.

At Smile Solutions, prosthodontic treatment is provided by board-registered specialist prosthodontists - clinicians who have completed an undergraduate dental degree with honours, followed by a further three years of postgraduate specialist training leading to a Masters degree or equivalent qualification, and who are registered as specialists with the Dental Board of Australia. This level of training and registration is the highest standard available in the prosthodontic discipline.

What is a Prosthodontist?

A specialist prosthodontist is significantly more than a dentist with an interest in restorations. The postgraduate training programme covers advanced materials science, complex treatment planning, full-mouth rehabilitation, the management of worn dentitions, implant prosthetics, and the aesthetic and functional restoration of teeth damaged by trauma, disease, or decay.

To qualify as a registered specialist prosthodontist in Australia, a practitioner must:

Hold a dental degree with honours from an accredited Australian or recognised international university
Complete a further three-year postgraduate specialist programme (Masters degree or equivalent)
Apply for and be granted specialist registration with the Dental Board of Australia

This process ensures that registered specialist prosthodontists have a depth of clinical knowledge and training that general dentists - however experienced - do not possess. For complex restorative cases, patients at Smile Solutions have direct access to this level of expertise as part of the practice's integrated care model.

The Prosthodontic Team at Smile Solutions

Dr Jamie Foong - Specialist Prosthodontist: Dr Foong holds a BDSc and DClinDent from the University of Melbourne. His clinical expertise spans single tooth management, complex crown and bridge work, full-arch rehabilitation, and implant prosthetics. Consultation fees for Dr Foong are $200-$400 for a 90-minute appointment, reflecting the thoroughness of his assessment process for complex cases.

Dr Simon Hinckfuss - Specialist Periodontist and Specialist Prosthodontist: Dr Hinckfuss holds a BDSc, DCD (Prosthodontics), and a Certificate in Periodontics and MS from the University of Minnesota. He is one of a small number of clinicians in Australia who holds dual specialist registration in both periodontics and prosthodontics - a unique qualification that makes him particularly well suited to cases involving both gum disease management and complex restorative work. Dr Hinckfuss's combined expertise is invaluable for patients requiring implant treatment where both soft tissue management and prosthetic planning are critical.

In addition, the prosthodontic team at Smile Solutions has included Dr Foti Angelis and Dr Vasileios Chronopoulos, whose specialist training and expertise contribute to the practice's comprehensive restorative capability.

All prosthodontic consultations are available at $200 for a 45-60 minute appointment (standard consultations).

Prosthodontic Services at Smile Solutions

The scope of prosthodontic treatment available at Smile Solutions is broad, spanning both straightforward and highly complex restorative cases.

Porcelain Crowns: A crown (cap) covers the entire visible surface of a tooth, restoring its shape, strength, and appearance. Crowns are indicated for teeth that are heavily decayed, fractured, significantly weakened following root canal treatment, or in need of cosmetic correction. Prosthodontists plan and design crowns with precision, taking into account the bite relationship, adjacent teeth, and the patient's aesthetic goals. All porcelain crowns fabricated for prosthodontic patients at Smile Solutions are manufactured in the in-house Smile Lab to exact specifications.

Dental Bridges: A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring a false tooth (pontic) to crowns placed on the adjacent natural teeth. Prosthodontists plan bridges with careful attention to occlusion, aesthetics, and the long-term health of the supporting teeth and gum tissue.

Full and Partial Dentures: Prosthodontists manage the full spectrum of removable denture work - from partial dentures that replace several missing teeth while retaining the natural dentition, to full dentures that replace all teeth in one or both arches. Prosthodontic expertise ensures that dentures are designed for optimal fit, function, and aesthetics - and that the transition to dentures is managed with appropriate clinical care.

Implant-Retained Prosthetics: Dental implants replace missing tooth roots with titanium posts integrated into the jawbone. The prosthetic component - the crown, bridge, or overdenture that attaches to the implant - is the domain of the prosthodontist. At Smile Solutions, the prosthodontic and oral surgery teams work together to plan implant cases from initial assessment through to final prosthetic placement, with all components manufactured in the Smile Lab.

All-on-4 Dental Implants: All-on-4 is a full-arch implant system in which four implants support a complete fixed prosthesis replacing all teeth in an arch. This is one of the most complex and consequential treatments in dentistry, requiring sophisticated treatment planning, surgical precision, and prosthetic expertise. The prosthodontic and oral surgery teams at Smile Solutions collaborate closely on All-on-4 cases.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation: Full mouth rehabilitation is the most comprehensive category of prosthodontic treatment - involving the systematic restoration of all or most teeth in both arches, addressing problems of occlusion, aesthetics, tooth wear, decay, or structural damage. These cases require extensive planning, often involving multiple specialists, and are typically undertaken over a series of appointments. The integrated specialist team at Smile Solutions - with prosthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons working together - is well placed to manage full mouth rehabilitation cases of any complexity.

Cosmetic Dentistry Under Specialist Care: For patients seeking cosmetic dental work - veneers, crowns, smile design - in the context of existing complexity, the prosthodontic team provides a level of treatment planning that accounts for bite function, long-term stability, and structural integrity alongside aesthetic goals.

The Role of the Smile Lab

All prosthodontic restorations at Smile Solutions - crowns, bridges, dentures, implant prosthetics - are manufactured in the in-house Smile Lab. The lab team, led by master ceramist Greg Karabasis, works exclusively for Smile Solutions patients and does not service external businesses.

This integration between the prosthodontic team and the laboratory team produces restorations of exceptional quality. Prosthodontists can communicate directly with the ceramists and technicians, review models and trials in person, and ensure that the final restoration meets the clinical and aesthetic specifications of the treatment plan. For complex cases, this direct collaboration is invaluable.

Getting Started

Prosthodontic care at Smile Solutions is accessible to patients seeking specialist-level management of complex restorative needs. To book a prosthodontic consultation, call 13 13 96. The practice is located at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne in the Manchester Unity Building.

Payment plans are available through Payright, Humm, and MyDentaPlan. Smile Solutions has 937 Google reviews at 4.9 stars and a specialist team with the training, technology, and laboratory infrastructure to manage even the most complex prosthodontic cases with precision and care.

The Smile Solutions Group - Referral Network

The Collins Street Specialist Centre receives referrals from both Smile Solutions and Core Dental locations across Melbourne, ensuring patients throughout the group have access to specialist care. Core Dental is the suburban arm of the Smile Solutions Group, operating across 7 locations in metropolitan Melbourne. Patients at any Core Dental practice requiring specialist prosthodontic treatment are referred directly to the Collins Street Specialist Centre at Level 8, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street - the specialist hub for the entire group. This integrated referral pathway removes the need for patients to navigate external specialist practices. Phone: (03) 9650 2726.