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What is an encased mold?

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I got my custom mold from the siemen’s audiologist yesterday and it is surprisingly small and comfortable and I even have vents. She did plug one because of a little feedback when I moved a little and the mold worked its way out a bit, but now it is great.

I have an appointment later today to pick up my Widex Dream 440 Fusion style with a custom ear mold and was told it was an encased mold. What does this mean? Is it going to be a huge full or half shell? I had that type of mold. Is it really necessary with a style aid like the fusion?

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If you can’t or are not willing to answer a question, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from responding to my posts. Thank you.

sabrin, i’m not sure if this is correct but from what it appears based on searching the internet, an encased mold is a mold that encases the speaker. but maybe someone who has used this term will answer.

Is the speaker the same as the receiver? The reason I am trying to find out is I have a type hearing aid for the siemens and my custom mold which does encase the receiver is this small thing and not a full or half shell. I paid $60 for the one mold to the audiologist working with hearing revolutions as that is the agreed upon price.

The Widex Dream 440 fusion (which is also RIC) audiologist called and said I owe them $115 for the custom mold that they did. I called hearing revolutions and they said $60 for custom mold and $115 for encased custom mold. I had assumed the custom mold from Widex for the RIC would be similar to the one for the Siemens style-wise. No one can seem to explain what the difference is though when I ask.

I am trialing two different hearing aids with Hearing Revolutions. Both aids are . I have two different audiologist, because they don’t have one that works with both aids I am trialing. The Hearing Revolutions says there are two different prices for the custom ear molds. 1) $60 and 2) $115 for encased custom mold. The Siemens audiologist made me a custom mold and the receiver is in deed inside the custom mold. She charged me $60. The mold is little and not a full or half shell.

The other audiologist for the other hearing aid is trying to charge me $115, which is the price for the “encased” custom mold according to Hearing Revolution. They said they were not sure that this was needed and are looking into it. I have not picked up the hearing aid from this audiologist with the custom mold yet, so I do not know what it is that he ordered and why it is almost twice as much as the one from the other audiologist. My fear is he ordered some type of full or half-shell style, which I hate and won’t wear.

Edited

sabrin, i was hoping one of the online audis might chime in and give you an insight. i kind of know how you feel. you are at the mercy of people who sometimes don’t make themselves clear.

Thank you doc Jake. See guys, he can be nice and he does know things when he feels like sharing. A link would have been nice, but I will find it. I have looked at and read so much hearing aid documentation in the last 4 months, I have nightmares about it. It is a lot to digest when you’re also trying to fight vertigo imbalance from the vestibular function destruction and a raging gall bladder attack. I have taken so much time off work for doctor and audiologist appointments I am happy I haven’t been fired.

if i had narrowed my choices to the bx7 and the dream 440 i would have read everything about both on the manufactuers web site. went to audiology online and read about fitting and programming options. if i was a noob i would have read several of the hearing aid basic primers out. if i was going to bitch about cost i would ask the cost of an item before letting them order it.

all you need to do is enter… widen dream 440 fusion in your search engine of choice.

In reply to @sabrin514

An earmold for a is one that can be made of either silicone or acrylic. The audiologist can slip the receiver in an out of it when needed (to clean or replace the receiver). An encased mold is one where the receiver is built into an acrylic mold that looks similar to an in-the-canal aid. Usually manufacturers require encased for ultra-power(UP) applications, some for high power and UP. The only drawback to an encased mold is not serviceable in the office. Meaning if the receiver goes bad we have to send it in and you are without an aid.

Thank you! That makes sense! As a question, what is the benefit to me as the customer to have to pay so much more money for the encased one (almost twice as much) when this sounds like a negative thing for the reasons you stated above. The audiologist picked this and didn’t ask me for my choice, but I would have picked the one they can service in the office. Anyone know if maybe Widex doesn’t give that option or something?

which is clearly stated on their web site probably why they show the hp receiver in the encased mold. btw, if you have the correct mold on the seimens hp receiver it cannot be serviced in the office either. if the mold is removeable you do not have the hp receiver.

In reply to @mustangglp

@mustangglp said:

A search of widexs usa website site yielded no results for molds Actually very little information compared to what you would find researching let’s say something like 500$ cell phone or home stereo!

What is it you want to know? Encased molds are chosen at the discretion of the audiologist depending upon how much power you need. Unless you need a high power or ultra power receiver, we tend to stay away from encased as it eliminates the advantage ’s have, which is replacement of the most common part of the hearing aid that breaks, the receiver.

What’s is the advantage ? I thought it sounded like it would make the receiver unreplace able which you answered thanks

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