Better hearing starts here

If you have single-sided deafness, conductive hearing loss or mixed hearing loss, Cochlear offers a portfolio of bone conduction solutions which can help you hear your best.

Doug - Osia^® recipient

The brilliance of bone conduction

There are two ways our ears pick up sound - through air conduction and through bone conduction. They both work together to help us listen to and perceive sound. However, when we hear ourselves speak, it is the lower frequencies through bone vibrations that help us recognize our "normal" tone of voice. One of the first steps in understanding the benefits of bone conduction is to understand how natural hearing works and the types of hearing loss.

Watch Doug's story to learn how the Osia^® System can impact real people.

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There are two ways our ears pick up sound through air conduction and through bone conduction. They both work together to help us listen to and perceive sound. However, when we hear ourselves speak, it is the lower frequencies through bone vibrations that help us recognize our "normal" tone of voice. One of the first steps in understanding the benefits of bone conduction is to understand how natural hearing works and the types of hearing loss.

How hearing works

Hearing is the process of sound traveling through the outer, middle and inner ear where it is then interpreted by the brain.

When all parts of the ear are healthy, here's how hearing works:

Outer Ear: Sounds enter the ear canal and travel to the eardrum.
Middle Ear: These sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate, sending the bones in the middle ear into motion.
Inner Ear: This motion is converted to electric impulses by tiny sensory hair cells inside the inner ear (cochlea).
Hearing Nerve: These electric impulses are sent to the brain, where they are perceived by the listener as sound.

Types of hearing loss

Every hearing loss journey is different, and the causes vary from person to person. Your hearing loss may affect one ear or two; and it may stem from a problem in the inner, middle or outer ear, or from a combination of places. Depending on the degree and which part of the ear is damaged, a bone conduction solution may be a solution to help you access the sounds you’re missing.

Type

Description

Single-sided deafness

Sensorineural hearing loss, or damage to the inner ear, can occur in one or both ears. If the loss is in one ear, it is often referred to as unilateral hearing loss. When there is little to no hearing in one ear, but normal hearing in the other ear, it is called single-sided deafness.
Learn more about single-sided deafness >>

Conductive hearing loss

Sound cannot travel through the outer or middle ear because of chronic ear infections, draining ears or other factors.
Learn more about conductive hearing loss >>

Mixed hearing loss

Refers to a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This means there may be damage in both the outer or middle ear and the inner ear.
Learn more about mixed hearing loss >>

Sensorineural hearing loss

Occurs when the inner ear or hearing nerve is damaged or not working properly. This type of hearing loss is permanent.
Learn more about sensorineural hearing loss >>

How much does a bone conduction solution cost?

Unlike hearing aids, Cochlear Bone Conduction solutions are covered by Medicare.^† They are also covered by most insurance plans^* and typically Medicaid.^** Contact your insurance company or local Hearing Implant Specialist to determine coverage as well as your estimated out-of-pocket expenses. The cost of the bone conduction implant will vary from person to person based on their specific health plan.

* Contact your insurance company or local Hearing Implant Specialist to determine your eligibility for coverage.

** Coverage for adult Medicaid recipients varies according to state-specific guidelines.

† Covered for Medicare beneficiaries who meet CMS criteria for coverage.

How are bone conduction solutions different from traditional hearing aids?

Hear what you've been missing

For more than 40 years, bone conduction solutions have been helping people hear and communicate with confidence. If you are unable to wear conventional hearing aids, a bone conduction solution may be for you.

Clearer, crisper sound

By bypassing the middle and outer ear, a bone conduction solution sends clean, more crisp sound directly to your inner ear.¹ Typically a hearing aid helps those with mild to moderate hearing loss in one or both ears. Some people are not able to wear hearing aids due to conditions like outer or middle ear malformations, or if the hearing aids aggravate existing conditions such as draining ears, a bone conduction is an ideal solution since it sits off the ear.

Natural pathway to hearing

Hearing through bone conduction uses your body's natural ability to conduct sound by picking up the sound from the environment and transferring the vibrations to a small titanium implant inserted into the bone behind your ear. These vibrations are then sent directly through the bone to the inner ear through a process called bone conduction.

Try it first, then decide

With a bone conduction solution, you have the unique advantage of hearing the difference first. Visit a Hearing Implant Specialist to try hearing through bone conduction before you make a decision.

REFERENCES

Gustafsson J. BCDrive performance vs. conventional bone conduction transducer. Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB, 629908, 2015.