3M Unitek Etching Gel, 35 Percent Phosphoric Acid
A 35 percent phosphoric acid etching gel used to prepare enamel before bonding orthodontic brackets and other bonded dental attachments.
Unitek Etching Gel is a phosphoric acid based gel formulated at a concentration of 35 percent, used in the traditional two-step etch and bond workflow ahead of placing orthodontic brackets or other bonded attachments. The gel form allows the acid to be applied precisely to the enamel surface without running or spreading onto surrounding soft tissue, which matters when only a small, defined area needs to be etched before a bracket base is seated.
Etching roughens the enamel surface at a microscopic level, creating the mechanical retention that composite adhesive needs to form a strong, lasting bond, and this step remains standard practice in offices that have not moved entirely to self-etching primer systems. After the recommended contact time, the gel is rinsed off and the tooth is dried before adhesive and the bracket are applied, following the same sequence used across most direct bonding procedures in restorative and orthodontic dentistry.
This product is supplied under more than one catalog number reflecting different syringe or bottle presentations, and practices typically keep it on hand as a routine consumable alongside primer, adhesive and applicators on the bonding tray.
