Different kinds of earmolds can satisfy various needs of the ears. Hearing-aid users require earmolds to listen to the sound from hearing aids. Those vulnerable to ear infections can use swimming molds to prevent water entry into ears. People who often stay in environment with high noise level can use noise plugs to protect hearing.
Custom Made Earplug
Production Services
To achieve the best fitting outcomes, earmoulds have to be tailor-made. The audiologist will first take the ear impression, and then the technician will make the earmould according to the impression.
During impression taking, the hearing care professional first puts a piece of sponge or cotton dam into the ear canal, and then squeezes the impression materials into the canal with the use of syringe. After the impression material is hardened, it can then be taken out.
An earplug is a piece of plastic, made with silicon shaped to fit an individual’s ear. Compared to standard fitting earplugs, custom-made earplugs are more effective on preventing noise-induced damage, whilst ensure wearer comfort. It is also more durable than standard fitting earplugs; and with proper clean and maintenance, these earplugs can be used up to three years.
Swimming earmould
The tailor-made earmould can effectively seal the ear canal, prevent the unclean water from entering the ear during shampooing and swimming, and thus reduce the chance of ear infection.
Typical used by the people who have:
- eardrum perforation
- in-situ grommet in the eardrum for removal of the middle ear fluid
- the ear canal being prone to inflammation especially when it has eczema or excessive earwax but they still want to go swimming
General Custom Made Earplug
Long-exposure to extreme noise may cause damage to your hearing. At Otic Hearing, we cared about your ear health and want you to enjoy activities without being worry. Custom-made earplugs can be an effective solution.
These silicon earplugs are designed for individuals who want to reduce external noise, and can be use in sleeping or in extreme noise environment. They reduce overall sound levels which may also be a useful solution to enhance concentration.
Typically used by the people who:
- want to reduce the nuisance of external sounds while sleeping or studying
Professional Custom-made Earplug (with filters)
In many jobs, workers are expose to long-term noise greater than 85 decibels which increase the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. This not only apply to industrial workers, but also to musicians, vocalists, sound engineers and individuals who work in dentistry. These professional noise-cancelling custom earplugs are made with silicon, integrated with acoustic filters that reduces sound levels but also allows you to hear and understand conversations and surrounding noise.
In Otic Hearing, we provide acoustic filters that can reduce 15dB or 25dB sound level, individuals can choose according to their needs and preference.
Hard acrylic earmould (for hearing aids)
Generally, adult hearing aid users prefer using hard acrylic earmoulds. Hard acrylics earmoulds are generally durable and easy to remove. Mini Receiver-In -the-Ear (m-RITE) hearing aids are fit with micro-earmoulds which are trendy, smaller and lighter; while behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are fit with traditional larger earmoulds.
Soft silicon earmould (for hearing aids)
The soft silicon earmould provides tighter acoustic seal than the hard acrylic earmould, so it can lower the chance of sound leakage from the hearing aid, avoid the buzzing feedback when using the hearing aid, and is more suitable for people using powerful hearing aids (i.e., severe to profound hearing loss). However, due to the tightness of the silicon material, it may be difficult for the new hearing aid user to wear the earmould. In general, they can learn how to put in and take out the earmould properly after they gain the experience.
In addition, because of the soft nature of the material, in case the earmould is broken, the soft silicon earmould would be safer to use than the hard acrylic earmould. Therefore, active children are recommended to use soft silicon earmoulds to reduce the chance of getting injured in case the earmould is broken.
For the following people who:
- suffer from severe to profound hearing loss
- are infant/young children
Disposable Earpiece (Dome) (for hearing aids)
The domes range from open, single & double vented and occluded type , and are available in different sizes.
For people only with high frequency hearing loss, hearing aid fitting using traditional earmould may cause echoes when they speak due to good low frequency hearing. Dome fitting , on the one hand, can transmit the high-frequency sounds from the hearing aid to the ear canal, and the holes can also allow the low frequency component of own voice to escape, so that the hearing aid user could enjoy a much more natural soundscape comparing to the use of traditional earmoulds.
In addition, since dome fitting does not require ear impression taking, the hearing aid can be instantly fit. That is, client does not need to wait for the production of the earmould nor the custom-made hearing aid. However, dome fitting is not tailor-made and its acoustic effect may not be as good as using custom-made earmould or shell.
Only for m-RITE hearing aids, often used for people who:
- have good low frequency hearing and poor high frequency hearing
need instant fitting after the hearing aid trial session
The earmolds and earplugs are produced by our professional and experienced team.
The function of the earmould
- Retention：It can ensure that the hearing aid will not be displaced and it is more comfortable to wear.
- Prevent feedback：Feedback is caused by the seal between the earmould and the external auditory canal is loose.
- Improve the sound quality：The earmould helps to reduce environmental noise and amplify specific frequency range which is crucial for the hearing aid user to understand speech. A vent may be added to the earmould to balance the pressure inside and outside the ear canal.
Manufacturing Service Modernization
3D Scanning
The earmould technician will first scan the ear impression into a 3D image. Traditionally, the ear impression can only be stored for three months without any distortion. Now, the scanned 3D image can be stored permanently, and it is much more convenient for re-production of earmoulds and comparisons of ear impressions in the future.
Computer Modeling
The earmould technician utilizes the computer and 3D mouse to design appropriate style and shape from the 3D image; the modelled 3D image data can be stored permanently for future reproduction.
3D Printing
After the 3D Image is modeled, the earmould/custom-made shell can be accurately printed with a 3D printer. The output will then be ready for post-process/custom-made hearing aid assembly.
