3D imaging for the perfect fit hearing aids

Hearing Aids
#1

Recently, I was in the dentist’s chair getting fit for new retainers. In the old days, this involved having a tin tray STUFFED to overflowing with gawdawful paste jammed so far into my mouth that I’d GAG. No more!

Instead, the process involved using a slim wand that was passed slooooooowly over both upper and lower rows of teeth - front, back and bite surface to model the entire two rows. I was really impressed! No messy goop, no gagging, and as the wand was passed over the surface area, the technician and I could see the image building on the screen right in front of me!

Further research shows that imaging does exist in the realm of modeling one’s ear canal, but even tho this has been around since 2013 at least, my aud-guy has never used it on me! As a result, even back in the day when I wore hard plastic molded ITEs, the fit was simply never perfect.

On top of which, we have the issue of HARD - unforgiving - plastic as the mold. Now I’m wondering if anyone here has ever had ear canal imaging and molds made from a softer, more yielding material?

I’ve been thinking of this cuz the double domes on my current Phonak Audeo B-Direct aids are always slipping back out of my ear canal, resulting in poor fit within minutes. This can’t be rocket science … is it?

#2

There was a lady a while back, could it have been @Psocoptera maybe, who referred to her molds as “gummy molds.” They must be made of silicon I’m thinking.

#3

I wear ITE hearing aids and I love them. I have had one set that was not fit correctly and they were remade, and it came to be found out that some how that my casings were switched with someone else’s. I have worn one set of behind the ear aids with domes and never felt like they were correct for me. I will be getting my new aids tomorrow afternoon and I hope they fit as great as the ones I have now.

#4

We had a discussion a few years back regarding Domes Backing Out. Custom Molds are the answer for that. In regards to 3D imaging, I see one small problem. My canals flex a lot. Based on some feedback I got here, the last time I had an impression done I held my jaw slightly agape, and occasionally moved my jaw around while the goop was drying. I feel like I got a much better fit this time around. I don’t think 3D imaging could take this movement into account.

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#5

My Audis have always told me to move my jaws slightly, and it does really help with the fit

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#6

Yes, I also made chewing movements with the putty in my ear canals back in the day of wearing custom-molded ITEs. Then … I done got OLD!

Now my ear canals swell up so much that the hard plastic simply won’t fit in my ears till I’ve been up and about a couple hours. Hence my switch to BTE aids fit with double domes on the receiver. I’m hideously allergic to the custom molds that typically come with the larger tube-style (vs the current wires I have on my BTE aids).

I’m hoping someone can chime in with insights as to truly flexible material that is custom-molded to one’s ear canal. Like taking the best of all worlds: custom fit (using whatever technology is best) to create receiver molds in a more flexible (but perfect-fitting) material.

#7

I am 71 and still love the ITE aids and find BTE aids uncomfortably. I am also very active and have in the past drowned the BTE aids with sweat, and have had them blown off my ears by the wind. And they don’t work with a motorcycle helmet. It is all about what is comfortable for the individual

#8

^^^ I can relate to a few of your issues with BTE aids. The newer models are better with moisture (I get a pretty slathering workout at the gym, but live in a very dry climate), but also manage to hook the ear wires on these dang aids with my fingers, comb, etc., and send them flying. For a while I used the leash … but that has its own comfort issues.

As for wearing helmets and even hats (also glasses that perch on top of the mic) … yup. More issues to live with.

I’d consider the ITE aids if they were made with more flexible, giving material.

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#9

I don’t have the issues you have with my ear canals, I guess I am lucky. I do expect to have a little soreness for a few days getting use to the new ITE aids, but it has always gone away within a week to 10 days.

#10

From what I understand, early imaging machines were pretty crummy. New ones are supposed to be better and I badly want one. But they are expensive.

There are a number of different options for soft molds for BTEs and RICs. No soft ITEs. You can put a rubbery soft coat onto an ITE, but it’s thin and is more for feedback than for comfort. I’m not sure a soft mold would overcome your ear swelling issue, though, if it swells so much that you can’t get whatever you use regularly into the ear. The soft molds are giving, but not spongy, and can often be MORE difficult to get into the ear because of increased friction. You’d almost need a morning mold and an evening mold.

#11

LOL!!! Exactly! In fact, even with the double domes, I keep two sizes on hand: S/M and L. Luckily, these domes are not hard to pull off and change with a dome of a different size. I sometimes wear the S/M dome on my LEFT receiver for a couple days, then switch back to the size L when I start to get too much feedback.

Imagine if my NOSE swelled and recessed as much as my ear canals? Well, that would be a sight. :roll_eyes:

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#12

Though, if you were doing a full mold in a soft material, you could probably manage quite a narrow canal and that would work all day. I don’t imagine that your pinna swells much? Just the canal?

#13

Correct! Altho my outer ear is pretty stable, once you get to the ear canal DOORWAY (does that have a name?) it swells up and down throughout the day. It’s not like I’m a sodium addict, but that is just an area of swelling that’s come on with aging.

I get what you mean about the friction element of a softer layer applied to a hard plastic mold. Hmmmm. What we need here is a SHOE horn for the EAR canal. Yes, a little spoon-shaped device to literally ease that hard mold into the ear.

(If it weren’t so ridiculous, I’d add that little shoe horn to my Dream Features list - one sold with every HA purchased.)

#14

Hehe. Or some sort of blow-up earmold like a car air bag, where you insert and and then–poof!–it just magically and comfortably fills to exactly fit your canal.

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#15

Not me - I wear open domes. Not sure who that was either.

#16

I remember the comment distinctly, but I did a forum search for “gummy mold” and I couldn’t find anything. Can’t remember who that was.

#17

External auditory meatus.

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#18

My 11yr old Son has bilateral hearing aids (Phonak Sky Q50) and just was fitted with new molds. His old mold took up the canal and 3/4 of the outer ear. His new molds are just in the canal.
They utilized that pink foam goop that he had to keep in his ears. (He hated that)

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#19

I had that done for the new in the ear aids I will be getting tomorrow

#20

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@BlueCrab I had silicon molds made a few months ago, they were the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever worn. They weren’t a good fit, and kept working there way out of the canal every time I moved my jaw. I tried to get used to them but in the end I went ba k to the hard mini molds that are just so comfy.
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