Hygiene Instrument Comparison Chart
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. Probe rows are matched by measurement graduation, the defining property of a periodontal probe.
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. For scaler and curette pattern terminology, see our Dental Hygiene Instrument Glossary.
| Helmut Zepf | Pattern | Hu-Friedy | American Eagle | PDT | Nordent | Premier | LM-Dental | A. Titan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gracey Curettes | ||||||||
| Gracey 1/2 | Gracey 1/2 | SG1/2 | AEG1-2 | R016 | SCGR1-2 | BEUL-05601 / BE-1005001 / LT-1004810 / PremierAir-1004660 | 201-202 | GR 1-2 |
| Gracey 3/4 | Gracey 3/4 | SG3/4 | AEG3-4 | R018 | SCGR3-4 | BEUL-05603 / LT-1004811 / PremierAir-1004661 | 203-204 | GR 3-4 |
| Gracey 5/6 | Gracey 5/6 | SG5/6 | AEG5-6 | R020 | SCGR5-6 | BEUL-05605 / BE-1005010 / LT-1004812 / PremierAir-1004662 | 205-206 | GR 5-6 |
| Gracey 7/8 | Gracey 7/8 | SG7/8 | AEG7-8 | R022 | SCGR7-8 | BEUL-05607 / BE-1005015 / LT-1004813 / PremierAir-1004663 | 207-208 | GR 7-8 |
| Gracey 9/10 | Gracey 9/10 | SG9/10 | AEG9-10 | R024 | SCGR9-10 | BEUL-05609 / LT-1004814 | 209-210 | GR 9-10 |
| Gracey 11/12 | Gracey 11/12 | SG11/12 | AEG11-12 | R026 | SCGR11-12 | BEUL-05611 / BE-1005020 / LT-1004815 / PremierAir-1004665 | 211-212 | GR 11-12 |
| Gracey 13/14 | Gracey 13/14 | SG13/14 | AEG13-14 | R028 | SCGR13-14 | BEUL-05613 / BE-1005025 / LT-1004816 / PremierAir-1004666 | 213-214 | GR 13-14 |
| Gracey 15/16 | Gracey 15/16 | SG15/16 | AEG15-16 | R030 | SCGR15-16 | BEUL-05653 / BE-1005026 / LT-1004819 | 245-246 | GR 15-16 |
| Gracey 17/18 | Gracey 17/18 | SG17/18 | AEG17-18 | R032 | SCGR17-18 | BEUL-05655 / LT-1004820 | 247-248 | GR 17-18 |
| Langer Universal Curettes | ||||||||
| Langer 1/2 | Langer 1/2 | SL1/2 | AECL1-2 | R079 | SCLN1-2 | — | 281-282 | Langer 1-2 |
| Langer 3/4 | Langer 3/4 | SL3/4 | AECL3-4 | R080 | SCLN3-4 | — | 283-284 | Langer 3-4 |
| Langer 5/6 | Langer 5/6 | SL5/6 | AECL5-6 | R081 | SCLN5-6 | — | 285-286 | Langer 5-6 |
| Langer 17/18 | Langer 17/18 | SL17/18 | — | R087 | SCLN17-18 | — | — | Langer 17-18 |
| Columbia Universal Curettes | ||||||||
| Columbia 2R/2L | Columbia 2R/2L | SC2R/2L | AECC2L-2R | R066 | SCCO2R-2L | BE-1005028 / LT-1004800 | 217-218 | COL 2R-2L |
| Columbia 4R/4L | Columbia 4R/4L | SC4R/4L | AECC4L-4R | R067 | SCCO4R-4L | BEUL-05615 / BE-1005030 / LT-1004801 / PremierAir-1004651 | 219-220 | COL 4R-4L |
| Columbia 13/14 | Columbia 13/14 | SC13/14 | AECC13-14 | R064 | SCCO13-14 | BEUL-05617 / BE-1005035 / LT-1004802 / PremierAir-1004652 | 237-238 | COL 13-14 |
| McCall Universal Curettes | ||||||||
| McCall 13S/14S | McCall 13S/14S | SM13/14S | AECM13-14S | R070 | SCM13S-14S | BEUL-05639 / BE-1005085 / LT-1004821 | 222-223 | MC13S-14S |
| McCall 17S/18S | McCall 17S/18S | — | AECM17-18S | R072 | SCM17S-18S | BEUL-05641 / BE-1005090 / LT-1004822 | 225-226 | MC17S-18S |
| Sickle Scalers | ||||||||
| 204 | 204 | S204 | — | — | SC204 | LT-1004840 | — | 204 |
| 204S | 204S | S204S | AES204S | R135 | SC204S | BEUL-05623 / BE-1005045 / LT-1004837 / PremierAir-1004696 | 305-306 | 204S |
| H6/7 | H6/7 | SH6/7 | AESH6-7 | R110 | SCN67 | BEUL-05621 / BE-1005040 / LT-1004839 / PremierAir-1004689 | 146-147 | H6-H7 |
| H5/33 | H5/33 | SH5/33 | AESH5-33 | R111 | SCJ1S-N5 | BEUL-05629 / BE-1005060 / LT-1004838 / PremierAir-1004688 | — | H5-J1S |
| M23 (23) | M23 (23) | SM23 | AESM23 | R098 | — | — | 313-314 | — |
| Towner U15/33 | Towner U15/33 | SU15/33 | AESU15-33 | R113 | SCJ1S-U15 | BEUL-05633 / BE-1005070 / LT-1004843 / PremierAir-1004693 | — | — |
| Jacquette 34/35 | Jacquette 34/35 | SJ34/35 | AES2YS-3YS | R125 | SCJ2S-3S | BEUL-05645 / BE-1005100 / LT-1004830 / PremierAir-1004686 | — | JAC 2-3 (JAC 2S-3S mini) |
| Explorers | ||||||||
| Explorer #5 (double-ended) | Explorer #5 (double-ended) | EXD5 | AEEXP5 | R166 | EX5 | CF-1003523 / OCT-1003503 / PremierAir-1003560 | — | EXPL 5 |
| Explorer #17 (single-ended) | Explorer #17 (single-ended) | EXS17 | — | — | EX17 | CF-1003514 | — | — |
| Explorer #23 Shepherd's Hook | Explorer #23 Shepherd's Hook | EXS23 | AEEXP23 | R183 | EX23 | CF-1003515 / OCT-1003495 / PremierAir-1003551 | — | EXPL 23 |
| Explorer 11/12 (ODU) | Explorer 11/12 (ODU) | EXD11/12 | AEEXP11-12 | R167 | EX11-12 | CF-1003529 / ODU-H-1003549 / PremierAir-1003562 | 11-12 | EXPL 11-12 |
| Explorer #3CH Cowhorn | Explorer #3CH Cowhorn | EXD3CH | AEEXP3CH | — | EX3CH | CF-1003527 / PremierAir-1003563 | — | — |
| Explorer #9 (single-ended) | Explorer #9 (single-ended) | — | AEEXP9 | — | EXS9 | — | 9 | — |
| Explorer #3A (single-ended) | Explorer #3A (single-ended) | — | — | — | EX3A | — | — | — |
| Endodontic Explorer DG16 | Endodontic Explorer DG16 | — | AEEMDG16 | — | REX16 | 1003844 (Endo 16) | — | DG 16 |
| Periodontal Probes | ||||||||
| UNC 15 / North Carolina (1–15 mm) | UNC 15 / North Carolina (1–15 mm) | PCPUNC15 | AEPUNC15RB | R198 | PCN15 | CC-1003684 / CV-1003640 / PremierAir-1003635 | 54B | UNC 15 |
| Williams Probe (1-2-3-5-7-8-9-10) | Williams Probe (1-2-3-5-7-8-9-10) | — | AEP1B | R196 | PCOW (PW plain) | 1003671 / 1003672 (CC + plain) | 51 | WILL |
| 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 | AEPWHOB | R197 | PCWHO | CC-1003675 / PremierAir CV-1003636 | 550B | WHO |
| CP 12 (3-6-9-12) | CP 12 (3-6-9-12) | PCP12 | AEP12B | R195 | PCN33 | Marquis 12: PremierAir CV-1003633 | 53B / 530B | CP-12 |
| CP 22 (2-4-6-8-10-12) | CP 22 (2-4-6-8-10-12) | — | AEP2-12B | — | PCN22 | — | — | — |
| Probe #1 (3-6-8-11) | Probe #1 (3-6-8-11) | PCP11 | — | R194 | PCN8-11 | — | — | CP-11 |
| Nabers Furcation Probe (3-6-9-12) | Nabers Furcation Probe (3-6-9-12) | PQ2N | AEPN2B | R205 | PCNAB2 (PNAB2 plain) | Nabers 2N 1003677 / CC-1003695 | 20-21 | NABERS |
| Dressing Pliers | ||||||||
| College Dressing Pliers (serrated, non-locking) | College Dressing Pliers (serrated, non-locking) | DP2 | — | T040 | DP1 | 9065081 | — | COLLEGE |
| Mouth Mirrors & Replacement Mirror Heads | ||||||||
| Mirror Head #4 Front Surface (Ø 22 mm) | Mirror Head #4 Front Surface (Ø 22 mm) | MIR4 | — | T051 | M4 (M4S stem) | — | — | 4FCS |
| Mirror Head #5 Front Surface (Ø 24 mm) | Mirror Head #5 Front Surface (Ø 24 mm) | MIR5 | — | T050 | M5 (M5S stem) | — | — | 5FCS |
| Mirror Head #4/#5 Plane Surface | Mirror Head #4/#5 Plane Surface | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Double-Sided Mirror Head | Double-Sided Mirror Head | MIR5DS | — | T055 | M4DS / M5DS | — | — | — |
| Cone-Socket Mirror Handle | Cone-Socket Mirror Handle | MH6 | AEMHR / AEMHT | R245 | HM20 / HM16 / HM12 | 1003582 / BE-1005115 | 28 | MHCS |
| 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, as are American Eagle's #4/#5 heads (AEM4 / AEM5) and the AEMHR/AEMHT handles (AE simple-stem EU-thread handles: AEMHRSS / AEMHTSS), and PDT’s R245 cone-socket handle is also offered in a simple-stem version (R248); Nordent heads come in both systems (M4/M5 and double-sided M4DS/M5DS cone socket, M4S/M5S simple stem); Premier lists mirror handles only, no replacement heads — cone socket 1003582 (Big Easy® 1005115) and simple stem 1003581 (Big Easy® 1005120); LM-Dental likewise lists mirror handles only — Mirror Handle 28 is cone socket (UNF4-48 thread) and Mirror Handle 25 is simple stem (M2.5 thread); A. Titan lists cone-socket components only — front-surface heads 4FCS (#4) / 5FCS (#5) and the MHCS handle, no simple-stem or plane-surface data in its catalog. 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.
See also our Surgical Instrument Comparison Chart for surgical instruments, our Dental Bur Comparison Chart for rotary instruments, our Orthodontic Instrument Comparison Chart for orthodontic pliers and instruments, and our Restorative Instrument Comparison Chart for restorative hand instruments.
Manufacturer catalogs and product flyers for the instruments in this chart are available in our Hygiene Instrument Library.
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