It takes A LOT of practice, I wasn’t very good the first 50 times! You can try a different technique that I’ve seen other assistants use with success- put the powder and water into a ziplock bag and squeeze/ knead it by hand, then cut a corner of the bag and squeeze it into the tray. Keep practicing, you’ll get it!
Wiping some alginate on the occlusal surface will help capture more detailed anatomy by pushing the material into the grooves and fossa of the occlusal surfaces; this reduces trapped air and getting air pockets on the occlusal anatomy.
I haven't used a curved spatula. I think the key, no matter the shape, is to really smash the alginate against the bowl with the spatula. It takes practice!
They are silicone cheek covers from the dental model company! I believe these came from Paradigm Dental Models but most dental model companies have them. You can even get a silicone tongue (which I removed for this demo).
I don’t believe they are significantly different. it’s the shape of the blade that’s most important. The all-plastic spatula is easier to clean because it’s one piece. However the plastic is not as durable and I’ve seen the edges get rough and notched out over time.
It sticks in the metal trays without adhesive - these are rim-lock trays, there's a roll of metal that helps hold it in. On plastic trays you want to use an alginate adhesive.
