Pits and fissures: remnant organic debris after acid-etching.

The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of liquid and gel etches to remove remaining debris in occlusal pits and fissures in vitro after cleansing using a conventional technique or air-water slurry method. A suitable stain differentiated between etched enamel, unetched enamel, and pellicle or debris. The results statistically indicate that etching does not remove much of the organic debris, and there was no difference between a liquid or gel etchant. Agitation of the etchant did not aid pellicle removal.