Bone conduction implants

Did you know sound travels through the bones in your head? Learn more about how bone conduction implants work.

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What you'll find on this page

  • How bone conduction implants work.
  • The main components of a Cochlear™ Baha® System.
  • The benefits of bone conduction implants.

What is bone conduction hearing?

Most people hear in two ways: by air conduction (sound traveling through the air to the ears) and bone conduction (sound passing through the bones in the head). They both work together to help us listen to and perceive sound.

Problems in an individual's outer or middle ear can restrict sound waves from getting to the inner ear through air conduction. Bone conduction can bypass these damaged or blocked parts of the ear and deliver sound vibrations directly to the inner ear, where it can be transformed into sounds the brain can understand.

How bone conduction implants work

The Cochlear™ Baha System uses advanced technologies to transmit sound to the inner ear. It’s designed to help adults and children hear clear, rich and natural sound1 so they can engage in many of the activities they enjoy. The Baha sound processors have different power levels to fit individual levels of hearing loss.

Our flexible Cochlear Baha System includes the following main components:

  • Sound processor – the sound processor captures sound in the air.
  • Connection between sound processor and implant to secure the sound processor. The connection is either Baha Connect, an abutment connection, or Baha Attract, or a magnetic connection.
  • Internal implant – all our bone conduction solutions use the stable foundation of the Cochlear BI300 Implant with proven long-term reliability and sound transmission.2,3 

Together, these parts bypass the blocked part of the ear, sending vibrations directly through the bone to the inner ear.

What are the benefits?

Research and decades of experience have shown that bone conduction solutions may help may help adults and children to:

  • Hear better, even in noisy situations.4,5
  • Enjoy improved sound quality (compared to hearing aids) by bypassing the blocked part of the ear to reduce the amount of amplification needed to hear better.5
  • Enjoy improved speech recognition (compared to hearing aids).6
  • Develop language skills for children using Baha Start, with a Baha Softband or SoundArc™.7

Trialing a bone conduction solution

If an adult or a child has been told a bone conduction implant is a treatment option for their hearing loss, they can experience the benefits of bone conduction hearing with Baha Start - our non-surgical bone conduction solution - before deciding whether to get an implant.

Adults and children can trial a Baha sound processor with their hearing health professional or at home. This will help them experience hearing through bone conduction and feel more prepared to decide on an implantable solution.

Find a hearing implant specialist near you

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Disclaimer

Please seek advice from your health professional about treatments for hearing loss. Outcomes may vary, and your health professional will advise you about the factors which could affect your outcome. Always follow the instructions for use. Not all products are available in all countries. Please contact your local Cochlear representative for product information.

For a full list of Cochlear’s trademarks, please visit our Terms of Use page.

References

  1. Hoffman J. Subjective evaluation of clear rich and natural sound. Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB, Sweden. 2020; D1788013.
  2. Nelissen RC, Stalfors J, de Wolf MJ et al. Long-term stability, survival, and tolerability of a novel osseointegrated implant for bone conduction hearing: 3-year data from a multicenter, randomized, controlled, clinical investigation. Otol Neurotol. 2014;35(8):1486-91.
  3. Mylanus EAM, Hua H, Wigren S, et al. Multicenter Clinical Investigation of a New Active Osseointegrated Steady-State Implant System. Otol Neurotol. 2020;41(9):1249-1257.
  4. Lin LM, Bowditch S, Anderson MJ, May B, Cox KM, Niparko K. "Amplification in the rehabilitation of unilateral deafness: speech in noise and directional hearing effects with bone-anchored hearing and contralateral routing of signal amplification." Otol Neurotol.. 2006;27(2):172-82.
  5. Flynn MC, Sadeghi A, Halvarsson G. Baha solutions for patients with severe mixed hearing loss. Cochlear Implants Int 2009;10 Suppl 1:43-7.
  6. Hol MK, Snik AF, Mylanus EA, Cremers CW. Long-term results of bone anchored hearing aid recipients who had previously used air-conduction hearing aids. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005 Apr;131(4):321-5.
  7. Hol MK, Cremers CW, Coppens-Schellekens W, Snik AF. The Baha Softband. A new treatment for young children with bilateral congenital aural atresia. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2005;69:973-80.