acid etching

noun
variants: also acid-etching

Medical Definition of acid etching

: the application of an acid to a tooth surface so that the enamel is roughened in order to allow for improved adhesion of bonding material (such as resin) Acid etching of enamel should be carried out using a 30-40% solution of phosphoric acid in gel form … — Stewart Barclay, in Master Dentistry, Volume 2, 2003