Custom Hearing Aids

As you might guess, custom hearing aids are uniquely designed for each individual wearer.

While “standard” types of hearing aids—such as BTE (Behind-the-Ear) or RIC (Receiver-In-Canal)—work well for most people most of the time, they're not for everyone. For a variety of reasons, you may wish to have (or require) a custom hearing aid instead.

There are a few different types available, but the largest portion of the hearing aid is custom-molded to fit your individual ear shape. The smallest varieties are very discreet and nearly invisible when worn.

In addition to customizing the size and shape of your hearing aids, you can also choose between colors and feature sets to match perfectly with your lifestyle. We can help you navigate the options and arrive at the choices that will suit you best.

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Advantages to Choosing Custom Hearing Aids

The feature sets of custom hearing aids these days are just about as wide-ranging as you’ll find in the larger BTE and RIC hearing aids, and there are some added advantages to consider, too.

Custom hearing aids are much smaller, and they sit inside your ear. The largest type, “full-shell,” takes up the whole concha, while the smallest can go so deep inside your ear canal that you can actually wear earbuds while you have your hearing aids in!

You can also select between a variety of colors to match your skin tone, making them even harder to spot. If discretion is important to you, custom hearing aids maybe a good choice.

Because custom hearing aids fit inside your ears, they use your ear's pinna (the most visible part of your ear) to collect sound exactly as your ear canal typically does. With most BTE and RIC hearing aids, the microphones sit behind the ears. While this isn't always a problem, it is definitely less spatially consistent than placing the microphone at the opening of the ear canal.

This also allows your ear's pinna to help block wind that would otherwise be more audible. Nature gave us natural wind-blockers, and it's good to be able to use them!

If you have long hair you may find it brushes against their BTE or RIC hearing aids, which can create annoying noises. While some people are able to adjust to this, custom hearing aids are an option if you wish to avoid it altogether.

What Else Should I Know About Custom Hearing Aids?

Not all types of hearing aids are right for everyone. At your appointment, we will listen carefully while you describe the kinds of things you want to be able to do with your hearing aids. It may be that a custom hearing aid is right for you, or there may be a standard option that would be perfect for you. Our conversations are important to determining which of the many options that are available is right for you.

If you choose a custom hearing aid design, we will take an impression of your concha and ear canal using a two-part silicone substance. This process only takes a few minutes and is completely painless. Then this impression is sent to the manufacturer’s specialty lab, where they create the mold and make your hearing aids. Because of this extra process, it may take a little longer to get your hearing aids than if you were to choose a standard design.

Custom Hearing Aids | Salisbury, NC

At Hearing Solutions NC, we are committed to providing our patients with the best hearing care possible. We offer custom hearing aids to provide unique hearing solutions for any type of hearing concern.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment!