If you use hearing aids, can you remember a time when the whine or whistling from your devices kept you distracted from an important moment in your life. Maybe it was a serious conversation with a loved one or the dulcet sounds of a grandchild’s recital. If this sounds familiar or is one of the concerns you have about your hearing aids, you’ve encountered one of the most common and frustrating issues with these tiny devices: the fit.
Why Your Hearing Aids Don’t Fit (And Why That Matters)
For most hearing aids, ear domes or tips are provided and come in three generalized sizes: small, medium, and large. But considering that your ears are as unique to you as your fingerprints, expecting a one-size-fits-all solution to work perfectly is a lot like buying shoes without trying them on first.
Over the years, many users struggle with their devices, constantly swapping and switching out sizes looking for a fit that is both comfortable and effective. But there are better solutions than these one-size-fits-all ear tips and the difference between a decent fit and perfect isn’t just about comfort.
The Science Behind Feedback
If you’ve experienced feedback firsthand, then you know or suspect that the squealing sound occurs when amplified audio escapes your hearing aids and loops back into the microphone. Luckily, custom earmolds can provide users with a tighter seal, effectively eliminating these audio loops completely.
This becomes especially important in Louisiana’s social environments. Whether it’s at a football game or enjoying live music, a secure fit means no unexpected squealing interrupting your experience.
How Custom Earmolds Work
Unlike ear domes or foam tips, custom earmolds are created around your unique ear anatomy. At Associated Hearing, our expert audiologists take precise impressions using medical-grade silicone that sets in about five minutes. With those castings, customized earmolds can be made.
The process feels similar to having a dental impression made, only it’s for your ear canal. Within a week or two you’ll receive your custom set that, because they were designed specifically for your ears, feel like they truly belong.
Material Options for Different Needs
Thanks to advances in hearing technology, users now have a wide variety of materials to choose from. Soft silicone often works best for sensitive ears or extended wear use cases. Silicone earmolds can provide ample cushioning and flexibility. Hard acrylic on the other hand is often used for the ease with which the earmolds can be inserted and removed, which is ideal for those with dexterity challenges or those who prefer a firmer fit.
Because they’re customised to the user and their lifestyle, it’s crucial to discuss your options with an experienced and qualified professional. Children, for instance, might do better with durable acrylic molds that can match their activity levels. For adults, the desire for discretion might mean selecting earmolds that are flesh toned or clear in order to maintain a lower profile.
Regardless of the material or customization, with proper care most earmolds typically last three to five years of regular use. Compared to generic domes requiring replacement every few months, it’s not difficult to see how custom earmolds can become the more cost effective choice over time.
The Reality of Investment
On average, custom earmolds cost between $100 and $300 per ear, depending on materials and complexity. This represents an additional expense beyond the cost of the hearing aid itself.
However, the math often favors custom molds over the long-term. Generic ear tips will typically cost $15-20 per pair and need replacement 3 to 4 times a year. Over five years, that accumulated cost can balloon to $600-1,200 in ongoing costs. Besides being more comfortable and convenient, custom earmolds eliminate this recurring expense.
More importantly, across the industry poor fit is the driver of most hearing aid complaints. A substantial majority of hearing aid dissatisfaction and returns stem from issues related to comfort and fit, rather than device performance. As more insurance plans now cover custom earmolds when deemed medically necessary, the choice not to get them can be detrimental to your overall satisfaction and use. While coverage varies, our team can help you to verify your benefits and assist with claim submissions.
Louisiana’s Climate Challenge
Our humidity, sweat, and temperature extremes create unique challenges for hearing aids. Standard ear tips can slip, shift, and degrade faster than expected in these conditions.
Custom earmolds use materials designed to withstand moisture in addition to maintaining their shape. For lifestyles that might include walking the levies or working outdoors in the heat, this feature isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity.
This difference in fit and material is significant. Generic domes rely on friction to stay in place whereas custom earmolds use the natural undercuts in your distinct anatomy to lock them in place mechanically.
Solving the Occlusion Effect
Another common complaint with generic ear tips is the feeling that they make a person’s voice sound boomy or hollow. This “occlusion effect” happens when sound gets trapped in your ear canal, making your voice sound like you may be speaking with your fingers in your ears. Custom earmolds can be precisely vented to address this issue. Strategic venting allows natural sound in while keeping amplified frequencies clear.
The choice between acrylic and silicone materials can directly affect this. Silicone can provide superior sealing for higher levels of hearing loss while acrylic allows easier modification if venting needs to be adjusted later.
Beyond Basic Function
Custom earmolds offer advantages beyond just fit. They can also help deliver higher amplification without the risk of feedback. They also provide better ear retention for those leading active lifestyles. Additionally, because they can be made in various colors and finishes, they can also be personalized to match a user’s personal preferences. Younger users may desire bright colors or fun designs to show more personality, where older users may prefer discretion, benefitting from molds that are virtually invisible.
Are Custom Earmolds for You?
In most cases the answer to this question isn’t whether custom earmolds are better than generic domes. The real question is whether the improvement justifies the upfront cost for your specific situation.
For most people dealing with fit issues, especially in Louisiana’s challenging climate, the answer is generally yes. The combination of better performance, improved comfort, and long-term cost effectiveness makes custom earmolds a worthwhile investment.
But creating effective custom earmolds requires specific expertise. Taking a perfect impression demands technique. Knowing how to vent properly requires experience. Understanding which materials work best for specific hearing loss patterns and lifestyles requires training. Simply put, the difference between adequate and excellent custom earmolds often comes down to the skill and experience of the audiologist creating them.
If you’re ready for hearing aids that actually fit your lifestyle, don’t wait. Schedule an appointment with one of our hearing experts today and take the first step towards more comfortable, clearer hearing. It’s time to hear–and feel– the difference custom earmolds can make.