Magnification is the process of enlarging something only in appearance, not in physical size. This enlargement is quantified by a calculated number also called "magnification". A magnifying glass which uses a positive (convex) lens to make things look bigger by allowing the user to hold them closer to his eye. A microscope which makes a small object appear as a much larger object at a comfortable distance for viewing. A microscope is similar in layout to a telescope except that the object being viewed is close to the objective, which is usually much smaller than the eyepiece. Endodontists have frequently overstated that they can do much of their work blindfolded simply because there is ''nothing to see.'' The truth is that there is a great deal to see with the right tools. In the last 15 years, for nonsurgical and surgical endodontics, there has been an explosion in the development of new technologies, instruments, and materials. These developments have improved the precision with which endodontics is performed.