Use this chart to compare Helmut Zepf ZEPF Ortho Master orthodontic instruments with Hu-Friedy and other leading orthodontic instrument brands — including Ormco™, 3M™ Unitek™, American Orthodontics®, Dentsply Sirona (GAC), Dentronix®, and DB Orthodontics — of the same clinical pattern. No representation is made that products are identical or interchangeable — each manufacturer has its 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 (Tweed, Bird Beak, Aderer, Weingart, Mathieu, Mershon, Oliver, Halstead, and related patterns), which defines the working-end geometry and clinical application. Brand codes shown are base pattern designations — each manufacturer offers multiple handle, length, and insert variants under suffixes of these codes. Click any Helmut Zepf reference to see the matching German-made instrument.
Reading wire capacities: rectangular wire is stated as height × width in millimeters and thousandths of an inch (e.g., 0.56 × 0.70 mm = .022" × .028"); round wire as a single diameter. “Hard” ratings apply to stainless steel archwire; “soft” to annealed ligature wire — capacities differ between brands even within a pattern, so always verify against the specification column and never cut above an instrument’s rating (see the care guide). Terminology help is in the Orthodontic Instrument Glossary.
| Helmut Zepf | Instrument / Pattern | ZEPF Specification | Hu-Friedy | Other Brands Offering This Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wire Bending & Arch Forming Pliers | ||||
| 33.710.31 | Tweed / Angle Arch Bending Pliers (arch forming) | Forged high-carbon steel; 0.56 × 0.70 mm (22 × 28) | — | Ormco™, Dentsply Sirona (GAC), American Orthodontics® |
| 33.711.30 | Bird Beak Pliers (#139 pattern) | Forged high-carbon steel; 0.70 mm round, hard | 678-304 | Ormco™, 3M™ Unitek™, Dentronix® |
| 33.712.41 | Tweed Loop Forming Pliers | 3 stepped diameters; replaceable tungsten-carbide-sprayed insert | 678-306 | Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| 33.713.16 | Aderer / Three-Jaw (Three-Prong) Pliers, NiTi | 12 cm; max 0.5 mm / .020" nickel-titanium | 678-302 (mini: 678-312) | Ormco™, Dentronix® |
| 33.720.50 | Hammerhead NiTi Cinch-Back Pliers | Bends NiTi archwire ends intraorally; 0.3–0.7 mm | — | Ormco™, Dentsply Sirona (GAC), DB Orthodontics |
| 33.730.20 | Lingual Arch Bending Pliers | Max 0.9 mm | — | Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| Aligner (Clear Tray) Pliers | ||||
| 33.720.42 | A-Punch Aligner Pliers (Ø 6 mm) | Punches tray plastic for attachment / button clearance | — | Hu-Friedy® clear-aligner pliers, DB Orthodontics, Dentronix® |
| 33.720.43 | Vertical Aligner Pliers | Vertical tray deformations for rotational pressure | — | Offered across major clear-aligner instrument lines |
| 33.720.44 | Horizontal Aligner Pliers | Horizontal deformations for root torque & tray retention | — | Offered across major clear-aligner instrument lines |
| Cutters: Distal End, Ligature & Hard Wire | ||||
| 33.750.01 | Distal End Cutter, cut & safety hold | Carbide inserts; 0.56 × 0.70 mm (.022 × .028) | 678-101 | Ormco™, 3M™ Unitek™, Dentronix® |
| 33.750.01F | Distal End Cutter Mini, cut & safety hold | Carbide inserts; 0.56 × 0.70 mm* | — | Mini safety-hold distal cutters across major brands |
| 33.750.02 | Distal End Cutter, long, cut & safety hold | 14 cm; carbide inserts; 0.56 × 0.70 mm (22 × 28) | 678-101L | Long-handle safety-hold distal cutters across major brands |
| 33.760.02 | Pin & Ligature Cutter | 11 cm; carbide inserts; 0.4 mm / .016", soft | 678-105 | Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| 33.760.03 | Pin & Ligature Cutter | 11.5 cm; carbide inserts; 0.4 mm / .016", soft | 678-105 | Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| 33.760.21 | Pin & Ligature Cutter, heavy | 12 cm; carbide inserts; 0.5 mm, soft | — | Heavy pin & ligature cutters across major brands |
| 33.760.20 | Ligature Cutter 45° | 12 cm; carbide inserts; 0.4 mm, soft | — | Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, Dentronix® |
| 33.760.11 | Hard Wire Cutting Pliers | 12 cm; carbide inserts; 0.7 mm, hard | — | Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, 3M™ Unitek™ |
| Weingart / Utility Pliers | ||||
| 33.740.11 | Weingart Utility Pliers, standard | Forged high-carbon steel; serrated tips; 0.7 mm / .028" | 678-201 (long: 678-201L) | Ormco™, American Orthodontics®, Dentsply Sirona (GAC) |
| 33.740.12 | Weingart Utility Pliers, mini | Forged high-carbon steel; compact beaks; 0.5 mm, hard | — (related How pattern: 678-203) | Mini Weingart pattern across major brands |
| Debonding, Bracket & Band Removal | ||||
| 33.770.40 | Bracket Removal Pliers, straight | 2 mm straight tip; forged high-carbon steel | — | Straight bracket removing pliers (678-220 pattern family) at Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| 33.770.52 | Bracket Removal Pliers, angled | Angled; hard steel insert | — | Angulated bracket removing pliers (678-220L pattern family) across major brands |
| 33.770.25 | Bracket Removal Pliers, short jaw | Short jaw branches; replaceable plastic insert | — | Hu-Friedy®, Dentronix® |
| 33.760.23 | Bracket Removal Pliers 45° | 45°, 12 cm; carbide inserts; max wire 0.5 mm, soft | — | 45° bracket/adhesive removing pliers across major brands |
| 33.770.21 | Oliver Band Removing Pliers (posterior) | 13 cm; forged high-carbon steel; replaceable plastic insert | — | Hu-Friedy®, 3M™ Unitek™, Ormco™ |
| 33.770.22 | Replacement Plastic Inserts (PU 10) | Fits ZEPF 33.770.21 & 33.770.25 only | — | Replacement tips are brand-specific at every manufacturer |
| Ligature Tying & Directing Instruments | ||||
| 41.262.14KFO | Mathieu Ligature Tying Pliers, slim | 14 cm; 2.0 mm fine tip; inner lock | — | Mathieu pattern at Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, American Orthodontics®; related patterns: Coon, Steiner |
| 41.262.17KFO | Mathieu Ligature Tying Pliers, slim | 17 cm; 2.0 mm fine tip; inner lock | — | Mathieu pattern across major brands |
| 41.264.14KFO | Mathieu Ligature Tying Pliers, wide | 14 cm; 2.8 mm tip; inner lock | — | Mathieu pattern across major brands |
| 41.264.17KFO | Mathieu Ligature Tying Pliers, wide | 17 cm; 2.8 mm tip; inner lock | — | Mathieu pattern across major brands |
| 41.260.14KFO | Mathieu Ligature Tying Pliers, very delicate | Ultra-fine jaws for micro-ligature work | — | Micro/delicate Mathieu patterns |
| 23.054.12KFO | Halstead-Mosquito Hemostat, straight | Grooved/serrated; 12.5 cm | — | Universal Halstead pattern at all surgical brands |
| 23.055.12KFO | Halstead-Mosquito Hemostat, curved | Grooved/serrated; 12.5 cm | — | Universal Halstead pattern at all surgical brands |
| 27.600.61 | Ligature Adapter / Director, double-ended | Double-ended | — | Hu-Friedy®, American Orthodontics® |
| 27.600.61F | Ligature Tucker, ZEPF design | Slot width 0.7 ± 0.1 mm | — | Ligature tuckers/directors across major brands |
| 27.262.01 | Scaler / Belt Pusher, grooved | Double-ended | — | Band adapter-scaler combination instruments |
| Banding, Bonding & Positioning Instruments | ||||
| 19.261.00AS | Mershon Band Pusher | Serrated angled tip; octagonal handle | — | Universal Mershon pattern at Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| 19.263.50 | Molar Band Seater (bite stick) | 14.7 cm; serrated triangular carbide tip | — | Band seaters / bite sticks across major brands |
| 33.770.14 | Force Module Separating Pliers | 15 cm; spring action for elastomeric separators | — | Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, 3M™ Unitek™ |
| 19.260.00AS | Bracket Positioner / Height Gauge, .018 slot | 13 cm; hardened; 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0 mm | — | Boone-gauge-style height gauges at Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, Dentsply Sirona (GAC) |
| 19.260.10AS | Bracket Positioner / Height Gauge, .022 slot | 13 cm; hardened; 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0 mm | — | Boone-gauge-style height gauges across major brands |
| 31.299.90 | Direct Bond Bracket Holder (with plates) | Reverse-action; places & angulates brackets | — | Hu-Friedy®, Ormco™, American Orthodontics® |
| 31.299.99 | Direct Bond Bracket Holder (without plates) | Reverse-action; places & angulates brackets | — | Direct bond bracket tweezers across major brands |
| Measuring, Retraction, Storage & Care Accessories | ||||
| 31.695.00 | Orthodontic Caliper “Zürcher Model” | 128 mm; INOX; for measuring on the model | — | Comparable purpose to Boley-gauge-style measuring calipers |
| 24.101.17 | Probe Fig. 17, octagonal handle | Single-ended stainless steel | EXS17 (Explorer #17 pattern) | Fig. 17 back-action explorers at all hand-instrument brands |
| 24.102.17 | Probe Fig. 17, round checkered handle | Single-ended stainless steel | EXS17 (Explorer #17 pattern) | Fig. 17 back-action explorers at all hand-instrument brands |
| 37.457.00 / .01 / .02 | Photo & Cheek Retractors, stainless | 1/1, 1/2 left, 1/2 right; RKI-compliant medical steel | — | Stainless photographic retractors (vs. common single-use plastic) |
| 37.457.00TI / .01TI / .02TI | Photo & Cheek Retractors, Onyx coated | Reduced light reflection for photography | — | Black/coated photography retractors at photography-instrument brands |
| 46.674.10 | Beebee Crown & Collar Scissors, straight | Pointed; 10 cm | — | Universal Beebee pattern at Hu-Friedy® and surgical brands |
| 46.675.10 | Beebee Crown & Collar Scissors, curved | Pointed; 10 cm | — | Universal Beebee pattern at surgical brands |
| 31.995.00 | Pliers Stand / Rack | Metal; 20 cm pick-up length | — | Wire plier racks/stands across major brands |
| 85.180.00 / .181.00 / .182.00 | ZEPFcare Washtrays 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 | 16 / 8 / 5 instruments; supports + hold-down | — | Ortho plier cassettes (e.g., Hu-Friedy® IMS™) — sizing differs by system |
| 24.950.10 / 24.950.12 | Medical Whiteoil 50 ml / Oil-Pen 18 ml | DAB 10 hinge & sharpening oil / precision applicator | — | Instrument lubricants at all instrument-care brands |
| 85.903.01 / .03 / .04 | Cleaning Brushes | Double-sided PU 3; aspirator Ø 1.5 mm; Ø 3 + 5 mm | — | Instrument & lumen brushes (universal accessories) |
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 — the pattern may still be offered under that brand’s own numbering. ZEPF specifications are drawn from the factory catalog K/25 Ortho E (30.06.2026), available in the Orthodontic Instrument Library. See also our Dental Bur Comparison Chart and Hygiene Instrument Comparison Chart.
*Note on 33.750.01F: current listings show 0.534 × 0.635 mm (.021" × .025"); the 2026 factory catalog states 0.56 × 0.70 mm. Contact us at (917) 480-2682 ext 101 for clarification on this reference.
