Ear moulds and earmoulds in modern hearing aids
In today's world, a modern hearing aid is not only very light and small, but it also brings immense power. Modern technologies make it possible to optimize your hearing with the help of the hearing aid. The more you exploit the possibilities of the new technologies, the better your hearing impression will ultimately be. Of course, the decisive factor is the severity of your hearing loss on the one hand, and the hearing aid model on the other. BTE hearing aids use earmolds.
What is an otoplasty?
Earmolds are nothing more than the direct connection between your ear and the hearing aid. These earmolds are connected either directly to the sound tube or firmly to the housing.
Earmolds provide the maximum secure fit for your hearing aid inside the pinna. In the event that you have a profound hearing loss, this significantly favors the amplification effect.
We have summarized this guide for you, where you will find all the information you need about otoplasty. Our experts for hearing aids are available to you very gladly without obligation and free of charge on the phone. With us, you will receive recommendations as well as individual advice for your perfect hearing aid. This will enable you to master all hearing situations perfectly in the future. If desired, you can make an appointment with our hearing care professionals directly on the phone.
Your individual ear impression
Your hearing loss is individual and your inner ear with the auditory canal is as distinctive as your fingerprint. This means that your situation is unique and must be examined and evaluated accordingly. Did you know that your inner ear or auditory canal is so unique? Therefore, it is necessary to first make a precise fit impression of your ear canals so that the otoplasty can find the optimal fit in your ears.
In order to be able to make the earmold for your future hearing aid individually, the acoustician takes an impression of your ear, a so-called impression. Only on the basis of this can an earmold be made that is precisely tailored to your ear canal and will then fit your ear perfectly.
The creation of earmolds is done by hand. To do this, the acoustician inserts a mass of silicone into the part of your ear canal where the earmold is to be inserted. The silicone mass hardens in the ear, and so the acoustician obtains an exact impression of your ear canal with this impression. However, the material does not come into contact with the sensitive skin inside your ear. Our acousticians work so carefully and routinely that the process is completely harmless and painless for you. Based on the impression, it is then possible to take all the details of your ear canal. This is where the right shape counts, because otherwise your hearing aid will not stay where it should be later on. In most cases, an earmold is made in a specialized laboratory.
Maximum comfort when wearing a hearing aid
Earmolds are made of silicone or other plastics such as acrylic. The decisive factor here is the texture on the one hand, and the sensitivity of your auditory canal on the other. The material properties are different, the same applies to the degree of hardness.
Elastics hard or soft?
As a rule, the earmold stays in your ear canal for several hours each day. In order to make the earmold as unnoticeable to you as possible, both soft and hard materials are used.
The earmold is made from a variety of materials.
Sometimes it happens that you cause allergies for the plastics used for the earmolds. In such cases, the earmolds can even be gold-plated or glazed. This way there is no direct contact of the skin with the plastic. Thermotec and Neutacryl are also frequently used as allergen-free plastics.
The most important properties of earmolds for hearing aids are:
- High resilience
- skin tolerance
- accuracy of fit
Otoplastics Hearing Protection
Did you know that earmolds have yet another use? Namely, they can also be worn as individual hearing protection. There are even special headphones that serve as hearing protection on the one hand and are used for sound transmission on the other.
So earmolds are also used as individual hearing protection, because they offer better wearing comfort than the usual earplugs. In addition, the protective effect is much better.
Particularly professional musicians, musicians and other professionals who need to be able to understand sounds and speech well, mostly resort to this individual protection for hearing.
Otoplastics do not distort the sound and frequencies of speech and music, which unfortunately is often the case with simple materials.
A great many presenters on television and radio also greatly appreciate earmolds, as do security guards and reporters. This makes it easier for them to hear and understand speech despite ambient noise. The price of such earmolds also depends on the area of application, and the pricing depends, among other things, on the material.