Hygiene Instrument Comparison Chart
Use this chart to compare Helmut Zepf hygiene instruments with Hu-Friedy, American Eagle, and PDT (Paradise Dental Technologies) instruments of the same clinical pattern. No representation is made as to product equivalence — each manufacturer has their own materials, processes, and proprietary enhancements. Comparisons are based on the shared, industry-standard instrument pattern system: instruments on the same row follow the same named design (Gracey, Langer, Columbia, McCall, and classic sickle patterns), which defines the working-end geometry and clinical application. Brand codes shown are the base pattern designations — each manufacturer offers multiple handle, rigidity, and blade variants under suffixes of these codes. Click any pattern to see the matching German-made Helmut Zepf instruments.
Reach and blade variants: each brand extends these base patterns with deep-pocket variants under its own name — Helmut Zepf's M5 design (first shaft about 3 mm longer with a shortened working end, for pockets deeper than 5 mm; see the Langer M5 literature) corresponds in concept to Hu-Friedy's After Five™ (longer terminal shank) and Mini Five™ (plus shortened blade), American Eagle's XP Access designs, and PDT's Extended Reach (ER) and ER Mini blade types. Titanium-insert versions for implant maintenance and Nanopal®-coated versions are further Zepf-specific variants of the same base patterns.
| Helmut Zepf | Pattern | Hu-Friedy | American Eagle | PDT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gracey Curettes | ||||
| Gracey 1/2 | Gracey 1/2 | SG1/2 | AEG1-2 | R016 |
| Gracey 3/4 | Gracey 3/4 | SG3/4 | AEG3-4 | R018 |
| Gracey 5/6 | Gracey 5/6 | SG5/6 | AEG5-6 | R020 |
| Gracey 7/8 | Gracey 7/8 | SG7/8 | AEG7-8 | R022 |
| Gracey 9/10 | Gracey 9/10 | SG9/10 | AEG9-10 | R024 |
| Gracey 11/12 | Gracey 11/12 | SG11/12 | AEG11-12 | R026 |
| Gracey 13/14 | Gracey 13/14 | SG13/14 | AEG13-14 | R028 |
| Gracey 15/16 | Gracey 15/16 | SG15/16 | AEG15-16 | R030 |
| Gracey 17/18 | Gracey 17/18 | SG17/18 | AEG17-18 | R032 |
| Langer Universal Curettes | ||||
| Langer 1/2 | Langer 1/2 | SL1/2 | — | R079 |
| Langer 3/4 | Langer 3/4 | SL3/4 | — | R080 |
| Langer 5/6 | Langer 5/6 | SL5/6 | — | R081 |
| Langer 17/18 | Langer 17/18 | SL17/18 | — | R087 |
| Columbia Universal Curettes | ||||
| Columbia 2R/2L | Columbia 2R/2L | SC2R/2L | — | R066 |
| Columbia 4R/4L | Columbia 4R/4L | SC4R/4L | — | R067 |
| Columbia 13/14 | Columbia 13/14 | SC13/14 | AECC13-14 | R064 |
| McCall Universal Curettes | ||||
| McCall 13S/14S | McCall 13S/14S | SM13/14S | — | R070 |
| McCall 17S/18S | McCall 17S/18S | — | — | R072 |
| Sickle Scalers | ||||
| 204 | 204 | S204 | — | — |
| 204S | 204S | S204S | AES204S | R135 |
| H6/7 | H6/7 | SH6/7 | — | R110 |
| H5/33 | H5/33 | SH5/33 | — | R111 |
| M23 (23) | M23 (23) | SM23 | — | R098 |
| Towner U15/33 | Towner U15/33 | SU15/33 | — | R113 |
| Jacquette 34/35 | Jacquette 34/35 | SJ34/35 | — | R125 |
| Explorers | ||||
| Explorer #5 (double-ended) | Explorer #5 (double-ended) | EXD5 | — | R166 |
| Explorer #17 (single-ended) | Explorer #17 (single-ended) | EXS17 | — | — |
| Explorer #23 Shepherd's Hook | Explorer #23 Shepherd's Hook | EXS23 | — | R183 |
| Explorer 11/12 (ODU) | Explorer 11/12 (ODU) | EXD11/12 | — | R167 |
| Explorer #3CH Cowhorn | Explorer #3CH Cowhorn | EXD3CH | — | — |
| Periodontal Probes | ||||
| UNC 15 / North Carolina (1–15 mm) | UNC 15 / North Carolina (1–15 mm) | PCPUNC15 | — | R198 |
| WHO / CP 11.5 (3.5-5.5-8.5-11.5) | WHO / CP 11.5 (3.5-5.5-8.5-11.5) | PCP11.5B | — | R197 |
| CP 12 (3-6-9-12) | CP 12 (3-6-9-12) | PCP12 | — | R195 |
| Probe #1 (3-6-8-11) | Probe #1 (3-6-8-11) | PCP11 | — | R194 |
| Nabers Furcation Probe (3-6-9-12) | Nabers Furcation Probe (3-6-9-12) | PQ2N | — | R205 |
| Mouth Mirrors & Replacement Mirror Heads | ||||
| Mirror Head #4 Front Surface (Ø 22 mm) | Mirror Head #4 Front Surface (Ø 22 mm) | MIR4 | — | T051 |
| Mirror Head #5 Front Surface (Ø 24 mm) | Mirror Head #5 Front Surface (Ø 24 mm) | MIR5 | — | T050 |
| Mirror Head #4/#5 Plane Surface | Mirror Head #4/#5 Plane Surface | — | — | — |
| Double-Sided Mirror Head | Double-Sided Mirror Head | MIR5DS | — | T055 |
| Cone-Socket Mirror Handle | Cone-Socket Mirror Handle | MH6 | — | R245 |
| Note: mirror sizes #4 (Ø 22 mm) and #5 (Ø 24 mm) are universal, but attachment systems differ — standard Helmut Zepf replacement heads use a simple-thread stem, while the Hu-Friedy and PDT heads listed are cone socket. Match the head to your handle system; Zepf also offers a cone-socket handle. | ||||
All Helmut Zepf instruments are manufactured by Helmut Zepf Medizintechnik in Seitingen-Oberflacht, Germany — precision dental instruments since 1921. References are provided for identification and comparison purposes only; all trademarks belong to their respective owners. A dash (—) means no base-pattern code was verified for that brand. Probe rows are matched by measurement graduation, the defining property of a periodontal probe. See also our Dental Bur Comparison Chart for rotary instruments.
