My left ear canal is very wide and very straight. That means conventional earmolds are always loose and feedback is a big problem. I need an earmold made with special material for the ear canal portion that will expand from body heat.
I’m hoping someone knows of anyone who does this kind of work.
I don’t have an answer to your exact question, but I want to mention another material that might help. Extra-soft silicone is noticeably softer than regular soft silicone and might seal better. My audiologist got mine from Microsonic.
The hearing Aid companies make them from a verity of materials from a mold or 3d images that the audiologist makes. I use Titanium. Hope this help.
I have found that the full skeleton custom ear molds, mine or of acrylic is working great for me. I have large ear canals due to wear aids for 20 years. Without the restrains my ear molds will not stay in place.
I second the suggestion of a skeleton mold. I dont understand how a skeleton mold can back out… because it cant.
I now realize I should’ve mentioned I have a profound hearing loss. My understanding is that skeleton earmolds are recommended only for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.
No not really i have a severe to almost profound hearing loss in the middle range of frequency. All that the skeleton ear molds do is keep the receivers in place. Which they does extremely well.
I don’t think an expanding material exists to my knowledge. a Full shell mould made out of the softest silicon, with the impression being taken while your mouth is open would likely be the best bet. Also, if you have a large canal volume / large ear the clinician may need to prepare a couple of impression syringes so all the space can be filled correctly with impression material
I wear acrylic full skeleton custom ear molds, when the impressions were made with the material I did like always moving my jaws like i was eating. My molds are extremely comfortable, I do not have any feedback issues. My ear molds don’t slip either. My molds for my INTENT1 aids that I will get soon are going to be semi skeleton ear molds, my clinic did two sets of impressions, one with the material the other was a 3D scan.
Cool. My clinic didn’t have the equipment to do 3d scanning last I knew. In about 6 months I’ll be due for new aids.
WH
I used to have a special earmold made many years ago and is not made anymore. It was a full shell with the outer shell of hard material and the inside shell was silicone.
I have profound hearing loss and can’t use silicone ear molds anymore as it irritates my ear canal. I was told the best earmold is an skeleton hard shell.
May years ago an audiologist stated that both my ear canals resembled shotgun barrels as a result of tight-fitting molds. It’s a challenge for most audiologists and hearing aid manufacturers to make proper molds for a profound loss when they don’t have the right equipment, competence, or time to do it properly. Like X475aws stated Microsonic has it all. Go to their website to see that they can make anything earmold wise. Now the difficult part is to find an audiologist with the patience motivation and skill to accommodate you. Whomever you choose to use be prepared to be frustrated and for several remakes to get it right.
I have profound loss and a silicone skeleton mold is the only one that works for me, and i tried 2 other types prior. Where did you get that info???
Audiologist doesn’t usually tell the truth. Many years before l became a DIY hearing aid user, l had an audiologist told me that hearing aids l buy in another country will not work in the U.S.A. l brought my current Phonak aids as it came from India and works perfectly in my state of FL!
I have the opposite issue where my ear canals are so small that custom molds are needed, personally I used soft silicone With a glossy finish rather than a matte finish since it helps them be “stickier” and I use skeleton molds. But because my ears are so small the need for them to be very well fitting is a must, the lab I get them from does a heavy wax dip on my impressions which make them overall more snug fit.
A related matter - I am returning a pair of trial aids that include custom molds with Signia’s highest power receivers - molds & receivers cost $300 +/-. I need high power receivers. I have not yet decided where I go from here, but it would be great if I could reuse the molds & receivers. Is there any way I can make that happen?
No. BTE molds can go from company to company, but RIC molds can’t.
If you paid for the earmolds and the receivers, they belong to you and can be removed from the hearing aids, but are only useable with signia aids.
Or Widex as they now use the same receivers.