The Process

The process of taking the ear impressions are carried out by fully qualified and certified professionals.

All our technicians are trained to the highest level with regular updates on new procedures and yearly assessments.

They are all BSHAA certified and covered by our comprehensive medical indemnity insurance.

As part of our technical staff we have fully qualified audiologists who are on hand to assess any issue, which may arise during the standard ear health examination.

The process begins with a brief client history where we discuss recent health issues that can affect the impression taking. This includes recent colds and flu. After the outer ear has been examined the technician uses a fibre optic otoscope to check the inside of the ear canal and the health of the tympanic membrane. If the canal and tympanic membrane is considered healthy then the technician will proceed to the next step in the process.

Need your Ear Wax Removed?

All impression technicians are qualified to remove excess wax using microsuction or ear irrigation if necessary.

Cluistrom technicians are qualifies and insufred to remove ear wax which ensures a perfect scan or mould of the ear canal.

Cold Form Impressions.

A small cotton dam is inserted into the canal at a point just in front of the second bend in the canal.

At this point you may be asked to insert a polysterene block in to your mouth which keeps the mouth and importantly the ear canal in its widest position. We do this to ensure the tightest fit of certain specilaised products.

The technician will then mix the appropriate amount of Room Temperature Vulcanising Silicone (RTVS) and uses a specially designed syringe to fill the ear canal and the entire concha of the ear. When this material sets (approximately five minutes) the moulds are removed from the ear, packaged and taken to the laboratory for manufacture. The laboratory is presently the largest of its kind in Europe and has a capacity for thousands of units a week.

When the moulds arrive at the office they are placed in a specially designed scanning unit that converts the mould into a perfect digital image. This image is then sent to one of the four new Projet 3510 MP 3D digital scanners. In an overnight process that takes place in a temperature and pressure controlled secure area the product is produced using the latest Microflex Extreme material.

The technician will place the regulator headband on your head and use this to guide the laser marker around your ear canal and concha.

The laser has two operation modes-

Mode 1 uses a small ring laser that measures and maps the canal in a 360 degree process.

Mode 2 uses a separate laser with a horizontal beam that we use to map the outer cartilage of the ear and the concha (bowl). As the technician operates the laser scanner you will begin to see a new 3D image of your own ear and canal appear on the screen in front of you.

The resulting scans are labelled with a secure serial number and then sent via a secure network to the cloud server. Once stored and logged the scans can be downloaded for manufacture on one of the four new ProJet 3510MP Digital 3D Printers. This is often conducted overnight in a secure temperature and pressure controlled environment.

We make a great impression

This material is recognised as the most advanced available today.

Our unique process guarantees that the finished product is the truest likeness to the original impression taken and guarantees both comfort and acoustic performance over years of continued use.

Upon placing an order for custom moulded protection, one of our representatives will arrange a suitable date to visit your site to take the necessary ear impressions.

During the procedure our technician will check the health of the ear and advise or refer should there be a contra-indicator to performing a scan or cold impression

A sound survey can be carried out by fully qualified members of the Academy of Accoustics using Class 1 sound metres . This is an additional cost but ensures the correct filter strength is selected for the delivered product. Your own existing sound survey can be used if there is one available .

After manufacture the products are supplied in their own secure carry case with full instructions and a cleaning tool. Lanyards are also available should they be required.