--- title: Smile Lab - The In-House Dental Laboratory at Smile Solutions Melbourne canonical_url: https://directory.smilesolutions.com.au/smile-lab-the-in-house-dental-laboratory-at-smile-solutions-melbourne/ category: description: At the heart of Smile Solutions' cosmetic and restorative dentistry capability is the Smile Lab - an in-house dental laboratory exclusively dedicated to serving Smile Solutions patients. The Smile Lab... geography: city: state: country: metadata: phone: email: website: publishedAt: --- # Smile Lab - The In-House Dental Laboratory at Smile Solutions Melbourne At the heart of Smile Solutions' cosmetic and restorative dentistry capability is the Smile Lab - an in-house dental laboratory exclusively dedicated to serving Smile Solutions patients. The Smile Lab does not work with any external dental practices or businesses. Every restoration, appliance, and prosthetic component manufactured in the lab is made specifically for a Smile Solutions patient, by a team of highly skilled ceramists and dental technicians who work on-site, in a purpose-built studio adjacent to the clinical suites. This exclusivity is not incidental. It is a deliberate and fundamental element of the Smile Solutions model - one that makes the practice's most celebrated innovation, Same Day Porcelain Veneers, possible. ## Why an In-House Laboratory Changes Everything Most dental restorations - crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures, implant components - are manufactured offsite at commercial dental laboratories that serve dozens or hundreds of practices simultaneously. The patient never meets the technician who makes their restoration. Communication between dentist and laboratory is typically indirect, conducted through physical impressions, written instructions, and photographs. Turnaround times are measured in weeks. At Smile Solutions, the Smile Lab changes this entirely. The ceramists and technicians work in the same building as the patients and dentists. They can step out of the lab and into a clinical conversation during treatment. They can view a patient's smile in person, assess colour and translucency in natural light, and make real-time adjustments to a restoration before it is permanently bonded. This level of integration simply cannot be replicated with an offsite laboratory model. The result is restorations that are more accurate, more personalised, and more reliably beautiful - produced in a fraction of the time that conventional workflows require. ## The Team The Smile Lab is led by Greg Karabasis, one of Australia's most respected master ceramists, with over 32 years of experience in the dental industry. **Greg Karabasis - Master Ceramist and Laboratory Director:** Greg spent 28 years as the founder and company director of one of Australia's largest dental laboratories before joining Smile Solutions to lead the Smile Lab. His expertise spans cosmetic veneers, all-ceramic crowns and bridges, and digital smile design. He holds accreditations with leading dental companies including Noritake, Ivoclar, Straumann, Sirona, and ExoCad, and has presented his work at dental conferences in Australia, South Korea, and China. Greg was a former Vice President of the Victorian Crown and Bridge Society. His particular passion - and the area where his work is most celebrated - is cosmetic veneer fabrication, where the combination of artistry, material science, and technical precision produces restorations of extraordinary aesthetic quality. **Noemi Miele - Senior Orthodontic Dental Technician:** Noemi holds a Diploma in Dental Technology and is the Smile Lab's specialist in orthodontic appliances. Her expertise covers the full range of orthodontic laboratory work, including Herbst appliances, rapid maxillary expanders (RME), space maintainers, and retainers. Noemi's work supports the practice's busy orthodontic team across the full spectrum of fixed and removable appliance therapy. **Agne Diliartaite - Senior Implant Laboratory Technician:** Agne specialises in implant laboratory work, with particular expertise in All-on-4 and full-arch implant prosthetics. The precision required in implant prosthetic fabrication - where fit tolerances are extremely tight and functional demands are high - makes Agne's role critical to the success of the practice's extensive implant programme. **Natalie Bilos - Ceramist:** Natalie works alongside Greg in the fabrication of cosmetic veneers, ceramic crowns and bridges, and digital smile design. Her contribution to the lab's cosmetic output ensures that the Smile Lab can meet the high demand for aesthetic restorations that characterises a practice of Smile Solutions' size and reputation. **Talija Batinovic - Dental Technician:** Talija's areas of expertise include single-unit implant restorations, ceramic crowns, night splints, sports mouthguards, and whitening trays. Her breadth of skills across both restorative and protective appliances reflects the Smile Lab's capacity to support the full scope of clinical work undertaken at the practice. ## Equipment and Technology The Smile Lab is equipped with some of the most advanced laboratory technology available in Australian dentistry. **Arum 5-Axis Milling Machines:** These high-precision milling systems produce ceramic and zirconia restorations with exceptional accuracy, enabling the fabrication of crowns, bridges, and veneer frameworks that meet the tightest fit tolerances. **Asiga 3D Printers:** The lab operates multiple Asiga 3D printers, including the Asiga Max (DLP technology) and Asiga Pro Max 4K UV 3D. These printers produce highly accurate dental models, surgical guides, and appliance components with resolution and speed that support the Same Day workflow. **E4 Lab Scanner:** The E4 Lab Scanner generates highly accurate digital impressions of dental restorations, with efficient workflow and precise detailing that ensures superior fit and aesthetics for the final restoration. **ExoCad Software:** ExoCad is the lab's primary CAD (computer-aided design) platform for planning and designing implant restorations and other prosthetic components. Its user-friendly interface and advanced features allow the technicians to plan with precision and customise prosthetic components to exact specifications. **Dentaurum Laser Welder:** The Dentaurum laser welder is used in the fabrication of metal frameworks for dentures and orthodontic appliances. It uses a concentrated laser beam to fuse metal surfaces with exceptional accuracy and control, producing strong and precisely fitting joints without additional adjustment. **Erkopress Thermoformer:** The Erkopress is used for the fabrication of a range of thermoplastic appliances, including sports mouthguards, whitening trays, retainers, and splints. **Otoflash Flash Curing Device:** Used for the fast and efficient curing of resin-based dental materials during the fabrication of prosthetic restorations. All materials used in the Smile Lab are sourced from reputable, high-quality manufacturers and meet TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) approval standards. Nothing is manufactured offshore. Everything is made in Melbourne - a commitment that underpins the practice's quality assurance and the trust patients place in their restorations. ## What the Smile Lab Manufactures The lab's output spans the full range of dental prosthetics and appliances required by the practice's clinical teams: - Cosmetic porcelain veneers (hand-layered and milled) - All-ceramic and zirconia crowns and bridges - Implant prosthetic components and full-arch All-on-4 restorations - Orthodontic appliances (Herbst, RME, space maintainers, retainers) - Sports mouthguards - Whitening trays - Night splints and occlusal splints - Denture frameworks and components ## Meeting the Creator of Your Smile One of the most distinctive aspects of the Smile Lab experience is the opportunity for patients to meet Greg Karabasis and the team before and during treatment. At the initial consultation and throughout the treatment journey, patients can consult directly with the ceramist who will craft their restorations. This is unusual in Australian dentistry, where the ceramist is almost always invisible to the patient - working in a remote facility with no direct contact. At Smile Solutions, the ceramist is a named, present, and personally engaged member of the patient's care team. Patients can discuss their aesthetic preferences, ask questions about materials and techniques, and develop confidence in the person creating their smile. ## Enabling Same Day Porcelain Veneers The Smile Lab is the infrastructure that makes Same Day Porcelain Veneers possible. When a patient's teeth are prepared in the morning, the digital scans are transmitted immediately to the lab. Greg and the team spend the day fabricating the custom porcelain restorations while the patient relaxes at a nearby 5-star hotel. When the patient returns that afternoon, the veneers are ready for try-in - and any adjustments are made immediately, on-site, before permanent bonding. This level of coordination and speed, without any compromise in quality, is only achievable because the lab is in-house, the team is exclusively dedicated to Smile Solutions patients, and the technology supports a compressed but uncompromised workflow. To learn more about the Smile Lab or to begin your treatment journey, call Smile Solutions on 13 13 96 or visit 220 Collins Street, Melbourne. Complimentary cosmetic consultations are available, and payment plans are offered through Payright, Humm, and MyDentaPlan.