Open fitting versus earmolds

There has been much discussion in the group about open-fitting hearing
aids. When I became a hearing aid wearer a couple of decades ago,
profound loss was always treated with BTE hearing aids and hard
earmolds with vents. The original mods probably still fit but new ones
were prescribed during evaluation for CI (to make sure that full
benefit was being gained from my Pho**** Audiozooms - stepping up the
volume caused feedback with the original molds.

I find ti difficult to believe that open fitted aids would work for
profound loss - the amount of noise generated would be noticeable to
bystanders and goodness knows what it would do to residual hearing.

My concern is that open fitting may be primarily a marketing ploy -
making it easier to sell hearing aids without the bother and
professional intervention required for earmolds. There are two steps
in producing molds - taking the impression and manufacturing the
molds. The first is usually done by the audiologist. The second by
specialist firms - possibly the same people who produce dental
prostheses.

Recent posts, some from professionals, seem to sup****t my impressions.
My conclusion: if your are seriously deaf then you need BTE aids with
hard earmolds (with vents!).

There has never been much discussion in the group about vents - I
recall thinking it odd that, after having earmolds manufactured, the
audiologist proceeded to drill small holes in them. But the first time
the vents became blocked it was immediately apparent (in degraded
sound - both volume and quality). Yet there are dispensers out there
who do not believe in vents.

A recent post mentioned molds with adjustable vents - now that is a
new one! To me anyway.