Question
What should I use for temporary earmolds with my patients, whether I am using them to demo hearing aids in my office, or giving patients a loaner hearing instrument while theirs is in service?
Answer
Here are some of the temporary earmold products available. This is not a comprehensive list, as in general, professionals may have their own preferences and requirements such as cost, disposability, or other factors.
Comply Canal Tips: These are the original bullet shaped, threaded foam tips designed to fit in the ear canal. Since they are spongy, expandable tips, they will expand and conform to the ear canal, sealing it appropriately. They are packaged with sound tube adapters. The foam tip screws on the sound tube adapter. They are disposable.
Comply Snap Tips: Whereas the Comply Canal Tip is a more substantial, bullet shaped tip, Comply Snap Tips resemble a disc and are much shorter in length. The Comply Snap Tips are configured to fit onto a special sound tube adapter that allows the professional to snap the tip onto the adapter, it does not screw on like the Comply Canal Tip. They are disposable.
Comply Platinum Ear tips: Same as Comply Snap Tips except these tips are softer and easier to insert. They are disposable.
DOCs Promolds: These are the same concept as Comply with the exception that with Doc's Promolds, the tip is actually comprised of a rubbery plastic (hypoallergenic Kraton). In addition, the design of the ear mold is an open ear mold;instead of the ear mold plugging up the entire ear canal, it fits in the bowl of the ear, keeping a good portion of the ear canal unoccluded. They may be reused assuming appropriate infection control procedures are followed.
Soft Temp Tips: These temporary ear molds represent the same concept of DOCs Promolds but are not open ear molds. The one thing to keep in mind about the Soft Temp Tips is that while they come in different sizes, the large size really is not that big as the product is intended for smaller ears (pediatrics/children). They are reusable assuming infection control procedures are followed.
Temp Canal Tips: This product is comprised of an EAR foam insert (disposable) with a size 13 tube glued to it. They are disposable.
ER 13E Foam Tip BTE Earmold Kit: This kit includes everything needed to create a well fitting temporary ear mold (foam insert tips in two different sizes, several different tubing options). They are disposable.
A.U. Bankaitis is Vice President and General Manager of Oaktree Products, a multi-line distributor of a variety of products relative to the hearing industry. She is an audiologist with a niche expertise in several areas including infection control, cerumen management, and hearing assistance technology.
