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Short answer: A dental curette is a hand-held dental instrument with a spoon-shaped working end. In the US, FDA lists operative, periodontic and endodontic curettes as Class I devices under 21 CFR 872.4565. Gracey curettes are area-specific periodontal curettes with a single cutting edge; universal curettes, such as the Columbia 13/14, are a separate design, so a pair of numbers alone does not tell you which type you have.
This page describes products and general information for lab, clinic and supply staff. It is not medical advice and it does not describe how to perform any procedure.
What a dental curette is, and how FDA defines it
Federal regulation does not define “curette” on its own. 21 CFR 872.4565 defines a dental hand instrument as “a hand-held device intended to perform various tasks in general dentistry and oral surgery procedures”, and its list of examples names the endodontic curette, operative curette, periodontic curette and surgical curette.
The openFDA device classification database (data last updated 2026-10-19) lists three dental curette product codes, all Class I, all under regulation 872.4565, specialty Dental, and all flagged as not exempt from good manufacturing practice (GMP) requirements:
| Product code | FDA device name | Device class |
|---|---|---|
| EKE | Curette, Operative | 1 |
| EMS | Curette, Periodontic | 1 |
| EKT | Curette, Endodontic | 1 |
The Gracey and universal designs are both periodontal curettes; the operative and endodontic types have their own product codes. For the general family of curettes outside dentistry, see surgical curettes and their FDA class.
Universal vs Gracey curettes
The two designs differ in blade geometry. A scanning electron microscope study of Gracey working ends (Nimmanon et al., Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 2021) describes Gracey curettes, “in contrast to universal curettes”, as having blades angled approximately 60 to 70 degrees to the lower shank, with only one cutting edge and an offset blade that curves upwardly and laterally.
| Feature | Gracey curette | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting edges | Only one | Nimmanon et al. 2021 |
| Blade shape | Offset blade that curves upwardly and laterally | Nimmanon et al. 2021 |
| Blade angle to lower shank | Approximately 60 to 70 degrees | Nimmanon et al. 2021 |
| Area coverage | Set of 14 instruments (#1 to #14), each designed for different anatomical dentition areas | Nimmanon et al. 2021 |
What are the names of some common universal curettes?
The Columbia 13/14 is a named universal curette. A 2025 dental-education article on instrument assessment (Syme et al., Journal of Dental Education) lists “Universal Columbia 13/14” as its own instrument heading, separate from “Gracey 13/14”.
What is a Gracey curette used for?
Gracey curettes are periodontal hand instruments. The 2021 study describes them as “a set of 14 instruments (#1-#14)” specifically designed for different anatomical dentition areas, with an angled, one-edge, offset blade intended for subgingival scaling and root planing. Technique is outside the scope of this page; refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for use and professional training materials.
What is the difference between Gracey 11/12 and 13/14 curettes?
They are two different members of the numbered, area-specific Gracey set, so they are separate instruments designed for different areas rather than interchangeable ones. The Syme et al. article lists “Gracey 11/12” and “Gracey 13/14” as separate instrument headings. Manufacturer catalogues state the intended area for each number.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
- Product codes: an operative, periodontic and endodontic curette carry different FDA product codes (EKE, EMS, EKT) even though all are Class I under one regulation.
- Not GMP-exempt: openFDA flags all three codes as not exempt from GMP, so a curette is not treated as a no-requirements commodity in the FDA database.
- Manufacturer variation: the 2021 study found that working ends of standard and modified Gracey curettes could differ in morphology between manufacturers and batches, including cutting edge condition. A shared number therefore does not guarantee identical working ends.
- Related instruments: scalers are covered in the dental scaler guide, endodontic instruments in the endodontic file guide, and the wider family in dental surgical instruments.
Common misunderstandings
- “13/14 means Gracey.” The number alone does not identify the design. Columbia 13/14 is a universal curette and Gracey 13/14 is an area-specific Gracey.
- “A curette is a scaler.” 21 CFR 872.4565 lists periodontic scaler and periodontic curette as separate examples.
- “All curettes are the same class.” The three dental curette codes are all Class I in the FDA database; the regulation also lists a separate surgical curette.
FAQ
What are the names of some common universal curettes?
The Columbia 13/14 is an example of a universal curette, listed as such in the 2025 Journal of Dental Education article cited below.
What is a Gracey curette used for?
It is an area-specific periodontal hand instrument with one cutting edge, described in the 2021 study cited below as intended for subgingival scaling and root planing.
What is the difference between Gracey 11/12 and 13/14 curettes?
They are different members of the numbered set of 14 Gracey curettes, each designed for different dentition areas. Check the manufacturer’s catalogue for the area of each number.
Sources
All sources checked on 2026-10-31.
- openFDA device classification API, product codes EKE, EMS, EKT (data last updated 2026-10-19): https://api.fda.gov/device/classification.json
- 21 CFR 872.4565, Dental hand instrument: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/872.4565
- Nimmanon V, et al. Scanning electron microscope analysis of working ends of standard and modified Gracey curettes. J Indian Soc Periodontol. 2021;26(3):213-218: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9118948/
- Syme S, Mishler O, Barnes C, Oh S-L. Simplifying Preclinical Periodontal Instrumentation Assessment: A Pass/Fail Rubric Approach. J Dent Educ. 2025 (online 30 Sep 2025): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13281685/
