Custom Hearing Protection

It is quick and unremarkable, which is what you want. We look in each ear first to make sure the canal is clear and healthy, because wax will ruin an impression. Then a small foam block goes in to protect the eardrum, and a soft silicone material is injected around it. It sets in a few minutes and lifts out in one piece.

You pick material, filter, and color while you are there. The impressions go to the lab, and we bring you back to seat the finished plugs and check the fit before you take them. If something rubs or the seal is not right, that gets corrected rather than sent home with you.

Blocking everything is rarely the goal and often unsafe. On a job site you still need to hear a horn, a shout, and the machine you are running. Filtered custom plugs bring the whole level down while keeping the frequency balance roughly intact, so speech stays intelligible and you can tell what is happening around you.

How much they cut depends on the filter. Musicians commonly land somewhere in the range of fifteen to twenty five decibels of even reduction, which keeps the music sounding like music. Industrial crews often need more, and trades with impact noise sometimes need a different filter entirely. Sleep and swim plugs are the exception, built solid because the point is a seal.

A well cared for set usually goes several years before it needs replacing, and the reason for replacement is normally fit rather than failure. Ear canals change shape slowly, and weight changes can move the seal enough that noise starts leaking around the edge. Filters can often be swapped if your exposure changes before the plugs themselves wear out.

Cleaning is straightforward. Wipe them after each use, keep them out of a hot vehicle, and store them in the case instead of a pocket. Bring them along to your next appointment and we will check the seal and clear the filters. If they ever feel loose or sound leaky, do not wait for the annual visit.