Dr. Maria Montoya, DMD

Dr. Maria Montoya, DMD is a Preventive Dentistry specialist practicing at her clinic in Miami, FL. As a valued partner in preventive health featured on weprevent.org, she is registered with The Florida Board of Medicine and practices under the Florida Statutes, Title XXXII, Chapter 458 (Medical Practice). Her commitment to empowering patients with proactive, comprehensive Preventive Dental care is evident in her approach. General Preventive Dentistry serves as your primary partner in lifelong oral health, creating personalized plans to prevent cavities and gum disease, coordinating necessary screenings, and managing your overall wellness to ensure optimal oral and systemic health. She is dedicated to providing this essential care to all ages, and welcomes new patients to embark on this proactive health journey. Call (786) 493-3852 to schedule.

Dr. Montoya, born and raised in Miami, is a general dentist with more than 25 years of dedicated experience in Preventive Dental care, bringing a wealth of clinical knowledge and compassionate care to her patients and their families. She earned her medical degree from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School Of Dental Medicine in 1998 and completed a general practice residency program at the Miami Veterans Hospital in 1999, specializing in the comprehensive medical care of all ages. Her philosophy centers around treating patients as she would like to be treated herself, ensuring open communication and the presentation of all available options. Her goal is to deliver specialized care tailored to each patient's individual needs, fostering a healthy, beautiful smile, and empowering patients to achieve optimal oral and systemic health. She offers consultations in Spanish.

A key part of the WePrevent mission is building your personalized prevention roadmap. Dr. Maria DMD is a vital partner in this journey, focusing on proactive strategies to protect and enhance your long-term health.

By working together, you and Dr. Maria DMD can create a clear, actionable plan to address your unique risk factors and health goals.

A proactive approach to health involves understanding and managing potential risks. Dr. Maria DMD provides expert care for a range of conditions, focusing on early detection and effective management to support your long-term wellness. Common areas of focus include:

• Gum Disease: Gum disease is a chronic condition, but regular dental visits and proper at-home care can help manage the disease and prevent its progression.
• Toothache: Ignoring a toothache can lead to more serious problems like gum disease or the need for extensive dental work, emphasizing the value of prompt treatment.
• Broken Tooth: Regular dental visits help catch a broken tooth early, allowing for less invasive and more affordable treatment options, preventing the need for extensive and potentially costly procedures later on.
• Cavity: Addressing cavities promptly prevents infections, toothaches, and the potential need for extensive and costly dental procedures.
• Chipped Tooth: Addressing a chipped tooth promptly minimizes the chance of the chip worsening, possibly leading to a more complex and costly repair later on.
• Tooth Discoloration: Managing tooth discoloration through proper oral hygiene and regular dental checkups helps maintain a healthy smile and prevent further aesthetic and dental problems.
• Gingivitis: Inflamed gums, a sign of gingivitis, can be reversed with diligent brushing and flossing, protecting your teeth and overall health.
• Grinding of Teeth: Unmanaged teeth grinding can result in cracked teeth, jaw pain, and even headaches; regular dental visits and potential use of a night guard can prevent these complications.
• Tooth Decay: Catching tooth decay early through regular dental checkups can prevent painful cavities, fillings, and more extensive treatments down the line.
• Tooth Loss: Preventing tooth loss starts with regular dental checkups and good oral hygiene to catch problems early and avoid major issues down the line.
• Tooth Abrasion: Managing tooth abrasion effectively, often through lifestyle changes and professional dental care, helps maintain the health and longevity of your teeth, avoiding the need for more extensive dental work down the line.
• Tooth Abscess: Catching and treating gum disease early is essential, as untreated gum disease is a major risk factor for developing a tooth abscess requiring potentially extensive dental treatment.

This list highlights some common health concerns and is for informational purposes only. The best way to understand your personal health and create a prevention plan is to schedule a consultation. Accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans are developed based on individual patient evaluations.

Taking proactive steps is central to long-term health. Dr. Maria DMD offers a range of key preventive screenings and services designed to provide crucial insights into your health and support your well-being:

• Dental Bonding: As part of your commitment to overall wellness, dental bonding offers a straightforward solution to improve tooth structure and esthetics, thereby reducing the risk of more complex dental issues down the line.
• Dental Onlay: To proactively maintain strong teeth, a dental onlay can be used to repair a significantly damaged tooth surface, preventing further decay and preserving your natural tooth structure.
• Porcelain Veneers: Porcelain veneers are thin shells that cover the front surface of your teeth, improving their appearance and protecting them from further damage, thus proactively enhancing your smile and oral health.
• Teeth Whitening: Teeth whitening can reveal underlying dental issues early, allowing for prompt treatment and prevention of more significant problems.
• Root Canal: Root canal treatment is a vital step in preventing the spread of infection from a severely damaged tooth to other areas of your mouth and body, promoting overall well-being.
• Root Planing: Take control of your oral health with root planing—a procedure that addresses gum disease early on, preventing the need for more extensive treatments in the future and supporting overall health.
• Composite Fillings: Take charge of your oral health by choosing composite fillings; these durable restorations effectively seal damaged areas, preventing future infections.
• Teeth Scaling: Invest in your long-term oral health by scheduling regular teeth scaling; this preventative measure helps remove plaque and tartar, safeguarding your teeth and gums.
• Ultrasonic Dental Cleaning: An ultrasonic dental cleaning provides a deep clean, removing stubborn plaque and tartar that contribute to cavities and gum disease, helping you stay ahead of potential problems.
• Dental Inlays: Protecting your smile's longevity, dental inlays offer a durable solution to repair moderate tooth decay before it leads to more extensive procedures.
• Restoration of Dental Implants: Restoring your dental implants ensures their long-term health and prevents future complications, safeguarding your smile and overall well-being.
• Dental Bridge: For a long-term solution to a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, a dental bridge can restore your smile and support your overall oral health.

Service availability can change, and not all services listed may be appropriate for every patient. For a comprehensive understanding of all available services and to create your personalized screening plan, please schedule a consultation.

All medical services are provided in accordance with the standard scope of practice for Preventive Dentistry Services in Florida.

Dr. Maria DMD is dedicated to partnering with Dental Caregivers to achieve their unique health objectives. The following examples illustrate how a proactive approach can make a tangible difference in a Patient's life:

• By attending regular checkups and following a personalized at-home oral care routine, a patient successfully maintained healthy gums and prevented the progression of gum disease, ensuring a confident smile and overall well-being.
• By scheduling regular checkups and cleanings, a family proactively addressed potential toothache issues, ensuring a healthy smile and preventing more extensive dental work in the future.
• By attending regular checkups, a patient was able to identify a small crack in a tooth early, allowing for a simple filling instead of a more extensive and expensive root canal procedure.

These scenarios are illustrative examples of positive health outcomes. Individual results may vary and depend on many factors specific to each patient. She will work with you to define and achieve your personal health goals.

Here are answers to some common questions about proactive Preventive Dental care with Dr. Maria DMD:

How often should I visit the dentist for a check-up and cleaning?

Dr. Maria recommends visiting our office every six months for a check-up and cleaning. This allows us to remove tartar buildup that brushing can't, identify and treat cavities early, and screen for gum disease and oral cancer.

Why are routine dental cleanings so important for prevention?

Even with meticulous brushing and flossing, plaque hardens into tartar that only a professional cleaning can remove. This is crucial for preventing cavities and gum disease, which is linked to other health problems like heart disease.

How is oral health connected to my overall health?

Your oral health is intrinsically linked to your overall well-being. Chronic gum inflammation (periodontitis) has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and poorly controlled diabetes. Preventive dental care, including regular checkups and cleanings, is essential for maintaining optimal body health.

What is the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis?

Gingivitis is an early, reversible stage of gum disease characterized by red, swollen gums that may bleed easily. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, a more serious stage where the bone supporting your teeth is damaged, potentially leading to tooth loss.

What are dental sealants, and who should get them?

Dental sealants are a thin, protective plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. They're a powerful preventive tool, primarily for children and teenagers, that seals out food and plaque to help prevent cavities from forming in the deep grooves of the teeth.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are the modern gold standard for replacing missing teeth. They are titanium posts that act like artificial tooth roots, which are then topped with a natural-looking crown. This helps prevent bone loss and preserves the health of adjacent teeth.

Can you help with snoring or sleep apnea?

Dr. Maria DMD can help some patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. For these patients, she can create a custom-fitted oral appliance worn at night to keep the airway open, offering a comfortable and effective alternative to CPAP.

Are dental X-rays safe, and why do I need them?

Yes, modern digital dental X-rays are very safe, using extremely low levels of radiation. They allow Dr. Maria to see issues like cavities and bone loss that aren't visible, enabling early intervention and better oral health.

11545 N Kendall Dr
Miami FL 33176
Phone: (786) 493-3852

Dr. Maria Montoya, DMD is regulated by the Florida Statutes, Title XXXII, Chapter 458 (Medical Practice) in Florida and is licensed by The Florida Board of Medicine.

National Provider Identifier (NPI): 1215166012

Registration can typically be verified through The Florida Board of Medicine website or by direct inquiry.

The information on this profile, provided by weprevent.org, is for general informational purposes and to help you connect with preventive health partners. It does not constitute direct medical advice from the physician named. Preventive Dentistry Services like Dr. Maria DMD are skilled in helping patients create proactive health plans. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your preventive dentistry about all aspects of your health and your personalized prevention plan.