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New Hearing Aid Earmold Question

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I picked up my new earmolds yesterday for my Oticon Intent 1. They were supposed to have a canal lock, but were made or orded without one. The H.I.S will have them remade if I want, but I’m not sure I need the canal lock after wearing them for a day.

My biggest concern is the receivers are recessed quite a bit from the tip of the earmold. Is that common or were these made for a type of receiver?

Oticon Intent Earmold 1

Oticon Earmold Recessed

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That is not a good mold! Send them back to Oticon. I received my 5th set of Oticon molds for my provided Intent1 aids. Oticon doesn’t seem able to get them right. The first two sets of molds (with canal locks) would not get a good seal. Set 3 had half shells, but the shell was reversed on one mold and the VA sent them back. Set 4 came with no half shells and had the same seal problems as sets 1 and 2. VA made a new set of impressions and ordered two sets of molds, with and without half shells. Sets 5 came in this week, the half shells were wrong again, but at least I could get an acceptable seal with the molds with canal locks only. Attached is a picture of a proper Intent mold with canal lock. Oticon does not have a very good track record with molds according to my experience.

IMG_0374

You are confirming what I’m also thinking. Thanks for posting that picture.

I had the H.I.S order new earmolds with with a list of changes and modifications. Hopefully the replacements will be made for the Oticon Intent 1’s and fit more comfortably.

Question, which accoustic setting should I use for this type of earmold? I’m currently using MicroMold, short.

image

I’m no expert but if the mold is staying in place and you don’t have an issue with feedback, I don’t see an issue with receiver placement. It seems like it would be less likely to get clogged with wax.

Further to the comment by @MDB. Some years ago I had custom hard moulds made by Phonak. These had the receivers sealed inside them and the placement was some distance back inside the mould.

In reply to @MDB

Maybe, but wax can still get into the opening and possibly get pushed down into the while trying to clean it out.

I don’t think I could pull the mold off the receiver too many times before damaging the wire connection to the receiver.

I’ve searched the web for earmold examples and couldn’t find one similarly recessed.

The mold is staying in place, but is a bit uncomfortable due to bulkiness in the outer ear. Feedback is fine and I’m starting to get used to the slight occlusion in both ears.

On the plus side, I’m hearing the best I have in years. We went to an anniversary party last Friday night and I was able to understand the conversation around the table rather well. Even with the band playing in the background.

You use the little loop tool to retrieve wax. I’ve had to remove my receiver from mold by pulling on wire every time I change the and no problem yet. Definitely your call but it sounds like it’s doing what a mold is supposed to do.

Seems I have read that receiver placement to the eardrum is important but I sure could be wrong about that. If it is that mold/receiver is not optimal for your hearing experience.

Has your audiologist mentioned sending the impressions to a different place to be made?

No. I got the feeling he wanted me to keep them as is.

I remember he was looking curiously at the first mold after inserting the receiver.
I didn’t notice it being recessed until I got home.

I also read the Receivers should be close to the eardrum.

They are a good fit in the ear canal, but too bulky and long in the outer ear. They push out the Tragus uncomfortably. Enough to where it’s painful to wear my noise canceling ear muffs.

Picked up my replacement earmolds yesterday and these are a really comfortable fit in my ears. These replacements are made to fit the Intents and include the canal locks, which I like much better.

I asked them how much they wanted for the first pair and they just gave them to me. I put them on my More 1 backup hearing aids and they fit perfectly on them.

I took an emery board to them before I received the replacements and removed all the extra bulk that was causing pressure and rubbing spots, so they are going to work fine on the More’s in a pinch.

Oticon’s silicone micromolds do recess the speaker into the earmold. I personally don’t like that design as I find it easier to just replace than to dig out wax from a sound bore. @fredtx’s earmold pic is of one of Oticon’s embedded receiver molds, which have the wax guard right at the tip.

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