Types of Hearing Aid Domes
- Hearing aid domes are pre-sized tips that attach to the canal portion of a hearing aid. These domes are designed to fit most ears and provide the wearer with a comfortable, disposable ear mold. Prior to dome fittings, custom ear molds or hearing aids could take two to three weeks to be manufactured. Thanks to hearing aid domes, you can purchase advanced digital technology and wear your new hearing aids home the same day.
- An open dome is designed to attach to a mini behind-the-ear hearing aid. Open dome tips are made from a soft silicone material and resemble a tulip or flower bud. Open domes have become very popular because they create a more comfortable listening experience for hearing aid users. By allowing the ear to remain partially open while wearing your hearing aid, the natural ear can pick up sound. This creates more natural sound quality, less echo and faster acclimation for the patient.
Open domes only work for moderate high-tone hearing losses. More severe hearing loss requires more amplification; with an open dome, that amplification would escape, and your hearing aid would whistle all the time. - Closed domes are made of the same soft silicone material but are thicker, and when inserted into the ear canal, they close off the canal. Closed domes can be used with an in-the-ear or behind-the-ear hearing aid. Closed domes offer a more comfortable ear mold for people with severe hearing losses. By closing off the ear canal, sound can't escape and more amplification can be provided to the user. Closed domes will cause an echo when you first start wearing them, however, this should go away within four to six weeks.
- Foam domes can also be used on either an in-the-ear or behind-the-ear hearing aid. The foam is expandable; after you compress it to insert the piece in your ear, the foam expands to fit your ear canal. Foam domes are designed to provide a closed or open fit. Foam domes with grooves provide open channels for sound to pass through. Solid foam pieces are considered a closed fit and work well for severe hearing losses. Foam domes have to be changed more often than silicone--at least once or twice a month--since the foam absorbs moisture and earwax and begins to deteriorate.
