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Fingers in ears

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In reply to @WhiteHat

@WhiteHat said:

Easy switch, but you should change the settings in your HA with the audiologist’s SW in doing so.

Absolutely!
The change from open domes to earmolds totally changes the acoustics.
Even a difference in venting creates a need for adjustment.

In reply to @prodigyplace

@prodigyplace said:

I looked again at the manual. Those are likely MicroShells. For customized earpieces they also have LiteTip, MicroMold, and the VarioTherm versions of them. The custom earpieces appear to not include the receiver.

These are mine, they are custom, and sealed:

image

You can get both molds where the receiver is encased and molds where it is removable. A 100 receiver will pretty much always be encased. Building the receiver into the mold allows them to deconstruct the receiver block which is more forgiving for space and fit, and so an encased mold will often offer a slightly sleeker fit in the ear, although Oticon in particular makes nice custom tips. Some ears require encased molds because of shape/size. Tips with removeable receivers have the obvious benefit of being able to swap the receiver at the clinic rather than sending for repair. Hollow tips are also less occluding for people with good lows who want a pretty but more feedback control than an open dome can offer.

@flashb1024 said:

The secret to a good fitting earmold is to keep your mouth open while the gunk is setting so the ear canal will be at the best position for the earmolds to fit properly.

One more question; Keep your mouth open how wide?

  • Wide enough to say “Ha”?
  • Wide enough to eat an apple?

Standard bite block is maybe an inch or a bit more? Finger mobility may vary, but if I curl my finger and place it prependicularly between my teeth that seems about right. If that makes sense.

Interesting about mouth position.

I found biting down and opening my mouth repeatedly during the mold set worked for me.

“keep your mouth open when taking an impression”…I’ve heard this. But I wonder if this is a universally applicable rule? It seems to work for some. but anatomy is finicky.

I got a very good second impression on the second try with my right mold. My mouth was closed. Nevertheless, my audi smoothed and slightly shaped that same mold in his office, and now the fit is darn near perfect. This last may bring better results than taking yet another impression and sending them off for another try at the manufacturers home base.

I wonder if luck, circumstance and who knows what else might play a role in this beyond a lot of other factors…?

@jeffrey said:

But I wonder if this is a universally applicable rule?

No. You’re right that anatomy is finicky. Different clinicians take different approaches regarding whether they start out with closed or open mouth or moving jaw. If there was one perfect way that worked for everyone, at this point it would be the standard.

Edited

In reply to @jeffrey

Thanks @flashb1024 Thanks @Neville
I am now, the proud owner of Oticon miniFit strength=85 MicroShell-Long Molds replacing my open domes.

In addition to your advice to keep my mouth open while the material in my ear is hardening/curing my Audi also advised that I (open & close/chew) while the material in my ear is hardening/curing.

The molds stay put. Don’t back out. Are comfortable, and I hear much better.

c1

I’m a Happy Camper!

DSC_0601

ETA → Oh, btw> Try multiple clicks on the high-resolution image above to see more detail. I especially like how the vent opening is set back away from the inner tip of the receiver.

Yep! I love my molds. I had a little feedback issues with the right. I took it in to my audi, thinking a new impression would have to be made, and who knows if it would be better? Instead, the audi did a little work with a shaping tool–dremel?–and now it’s perfect. My bass hearing is greatly improved on the right, with a closed mold; the left too is better, and I’ve left the vent open. My left ear hears much better than the right.

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