Posted 9:39 AM 11/28/2012 : New hearing aid opens new doors for patients
When visiting with relatives this holiday season, there's a pretty good chance at least one of them may have a hard time hearing. Now there's a new device that could help, and it's worn in the mouth.
The device is called Soundbite. It's a discreet non-surgical hearing device carefully placed inside the mouth.
Patients who use it say it fits more like a retainer in the upper back molars.
How does it work? Audiologist Kate Puls says a behind the ear microphone unit transmits sound from inside the deaf ear wirelessly to the device worn on the teeth. Sound is then sent through the bone to the inner ear of the good ear.
"Our teeth are a natural conduit because they are attached to our skull, so that vibrates the sound into our skull."