Optical magnification has broadened the horizons of dentistry in general and periodontics in particular. Improvement in visual acuity, made possible through optical magnification, is becoming an integral part of modern dental practices. Through the quiet trend toward microdentistry, the authors have used microsurgical principles to improve visual acuity and the precision of existing surgical techniques to broaden the scope and character of periodontics, with knowledge and technology borrowed from medicine. The effect of periodontal microsurgery may include more predictable therapeutic results, less invasive procedures with reduced patient discomfort, more rapid healing, improved cosmetic results, and greater patient acceptance. This article provides a brief overview of magnification in dentistry and how it is used in periodontal microsurgery as applied to reconstructive gingival surgery in the treatment of gingival recession.