Hearing Aid Domes

As suggested by the name, open domes allow natural sound to pass into the ear through the dome. On the one hand, this makes the sound emitted by the hearing aid more natural, particularly in the case of ambient noise. On the other hand, open domes tend to have problems with sound dispersion and are not as well suited for low-frequency sounds, as they require more power than other types of domes. Open domes are also designed to prevent a phenomenon known as the occlusion effect, where the patient hears their own voice as a kind of booming echo.

Power domes provide a full seal around the entire ear canal, offering maximum sound amplification and eliminating background noise. These types of domes are intended for people with severe or profound hearing loss. In general, earmolds are often a better choice than power domes because they can be specifically adapted to the individual’s ear. 

Single-vent domes fall somewhere between closed and open domes, they have one vent hole which allows it to offer more feedback control than the double-vented models with two vent holes. 

Double-vented domes have the advantage of being less occlusive than the single-vented models. However, this makes them less efficient in reducing feedback in comparison to single-vented domes.