Transitioning from Domes to Ear Molds

Hearing Aids
#1

After 5 years of wearing power domes, this past January I received acrylic ear molds made by Phonak.

Previously I changed ear wax filters on the first of each month. In the short time I’ve worn the ear molds, at about week 3 the HAs start to sound especially tinny so I change the filter. I have a vent in my ear mold that is about 1 mm so any small obstruction is probably going to make a difference. By design I can see where the filter is going to be more exposed when inserted in the ear.

As I said, still new to ear molds but has anyone else experienced a need to increase frequency of filter replacement when transitioning from domes to ear molds?

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#2

I have ear molds and was told they don’t need waxguards. I was skeptical, but it’s true in my case. I produce a lot of wax. I bought a Jodi=Vac and it’s been a game changer. Every morning I inspect my moulds and use a brush to remove external wax and anything atop the vents. If warranted I use the Jodi vac. Voila, no more wax guards or bi-monthly visits to the shop for a cleaning. I have one mold with an open vent, and needless to say that needs to be clear.

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#3

Changing the ear piece can make the acoustic sound different. With Widex the sensogram & feedback calibration should be run again to ensure optimum performance. Not sure how it works with your brand, but you may benefit from redoing the set up to ensure it’s matching your needs as best it can.

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#4

I monitor my wax guards each night as i clean my aids and ear molds. I replace my wax guards as needed which is about every 6 weeks except in hot weather as i sweat a lot and have to change the wax guards about every 3 weeks. Unless i am sweating a lot i don’t even notice any wax in my ears and my audiologist and doctors that check my ears are always commenting on how free my ears are from wax. I believe has to do with the fact that I use EarGene in my ear canals due to itchy ears.

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#5

I think it depends on the type of aids that you use. I used to have BTEs with acrylic molds and didn’t need/use wax guards because there was only tubing in my ear. I had a pair of ITEs for several years that had wax guards, and when I switched to RICs, I have used both domes and acrylic ‘shells’ on both Oticon Alta Pros and my new Phonak Audeo Lumitys, and in all cases I have had wax guards.

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#6

Yep, which just goes to show how different we all are! I had numerous ear surgeries as a child/teenager which re-shaped my middle and outer ear structure. I produce a lot of wax. I had to change my clogged wax guards every two or three days. The damn things are tiny! I’m glad to be done with them.

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#7

When switching from power domes to ear tips, many users notice changes in sound and comfort. The increased frequency of filter replacement in earmolds may be due to various factors, such as ear anatomy or intensity of use. It is recommended that you discuss this issue with an audiologist or hearing care professional to determine the best strategy for caring for your earmolds and maintaining sound quality.

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#8

I have acrylic molds from Oticon. I need to change the wax filters often, probably once or twice a week. Occasionally I use a SERENE hearing aid vacuum cleaner to extend the time in between replacing the guards. The Oticon wax filters on Amazon are more expensive than Widex, but the Widex fitters fit on my molds, so I buy the Widex wax filters.

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