FORT LAUDERDALE -- No one relishes going to the dentist, but advances in tools for diagnosis and treatment are making dental visits a little less traumatic.

Just ask Phyllis Rudolph, who's battled gum disease for most of her life.

"I had bleeding gums originally and that's what sent me to my dentist, who sent me to a periodontist," said Rudolph.

For years the only solution was a surgical procedure that involved cutting away the diseased tissue and stitching the gums.

"It was always painful and very uncomfortable," Rudolph said.

Then she found Fort Lauderdale specialists doctors Tom McCawley and Nick DeTure, who are working with a new laser light system called Lanap.

"We just insert a small fiber and it eliminates the bacteria and creates activity in the gums, which allows the body to heal naturally," said McCawley.

The Lanap procedure costs no more that conventional surgical methods and patients recover more quickly.

"Afterwards people can go back to work the same day or the next day, instead of being out for three, four, even five days," said McCawley.

Aventura dentist Dr. Randy Freedline is working with a new tool called the Diagnodent laser which can help detect a cavity in it's earliest stage.

"We can have an area that we suspect is decayed but it won't show up on an x-ray, even that's not going to help us," said Freedline.

Freedline says the Diagnodent laser allows him to be more conservative about treatment.

"Without this we might go after a suspected cavity, only to find nothing there, or may put off treatment until the cavity is much larger and has destroyed more tooth," Freedline said.

Patients like Rudolph are grateful for the advances in dental diagnosis and treatment.

"There was no bleeding whatsoever, I had no pain, this is dentistry that is really coming of age," Rudolph said.

To reach McCawley and DeTure call 954-522-3228.

To reach Freedline call 305-932-9202.