Two appointments. A lifetime of protection.
Custom protection starts with a precise impression of your ear canal. Everything else is built from that.
Ear impressions
Dr. Aussem takes precise impressions of both ear canals, which are used to create a device shaped exactly to your anatomy and your exposure needs.
Fabrication
Your impressions go to the lab, where your custom protectors are built to the attenuation level and filter type suited to how and where you use them.
Fitting and check
When the devices arrive, Dr. Aussem fits them, verifies the seal, and walks you through proper insertion and care so they perform as intended.
Foam plugs are a starting point. Custom protection is a solution.
Foam earplugs carry impressive noise reduction ratings, but those assume an insertion depth most wearers never achieve. A plug that is not fully seated provides significantly less protection than advertised, and an uncomfortable one gets removed too soon. Custom protection is shaped to your ear, so it seals reliably and stays comfortable for a full shift or a full concert.
Acoustic filters are available for situations where complete isolation is not the goal. Musicians need the harmful peaks reduced without losing the detail that makes their work possible. Hunters and shooters need to hear ambient sound but block the impulse noise of a shot. Dr. Aussem matches the filter and the fit to your actual exposure and how you need to function during it.
Custom protection is built for consistent, real-world use.
If you are regularly exposed to noise and the protection you have is uncomfortable, poorly fitting, or simply not getting used, custom is the practical solution.
- Occupational noise exposure in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, or similar environments
- Shooting sports and hunting, where impulse noise protection is essential and comfort matters for long days
- Musicians and live sound engineers who need frequency-balanced attenuation without losing detail
- Motorcyclists managing sustained wind and engine noise on long rides where foam plugs fall short
- Swimmers and surfers needing a watertight seal to prevent surfer's ear and chronic irritation
- Anyone who wants durable, comfortable protection they will actually wear every time it is needed
Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent. Prevention is permanent protection.
The inner ear cells that convert sound into signal do not regenerate once damaged. Noise-induced hearing loss accumulates silently over time: there is no pain, no obvious warning, and often no awareness until the damage has already affected communication. By the time the loss shows up on an audiogram, years of exposure have already done their work, and none of it can be undone.
The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is almost entirely preventable, and prevention is straightforward when the protection is comfortable enough to actually use. The barrier for most people is not understanding the risk. It is finding protection that does not feel like a compromise, that does not muffle everything into an indistinct blur, and that does not create pressure or soreness after an hour of wear. Custom protection removes all of those barriers.
If you already have some degree of noise-induced hearing loss, the case for custom protection becomes even stronger. Damaged hearing is more vulnerable to further noise exposure, which means the threshold for what qualifies as harmful sound is effectively lower than it was before the loss occurred. Dr. Aussem can assess your current hearing, explain what your audiogram shows about prior exposure, and recommend the level of protection appropriate for your ongoing situation.
Good to know
How are custom earplugs made?
Dr. Aussem takes precise impressions of both ear canals during your appointment. Those impressions go to the lab, where your protectors are fabricated to fit your exact anatomy and built to the attenuation level suited to your exposure type.
How long do custom protectors last?
With proper care, most custom hearing protectors last three to five years. The ear canal can change shape over time, so periodic refitting may be needed eventually to maintain a reliable seal and the protection level you need.
Can musicians use custom protection and still hear their instrument clearly?
Yes. Musician earplugs use acoustic filters that reduce volume evenly across frequencies rather than muffling high-frequency detail. The result is a quieter version of the sound rather than a distorted one, which makes them genuinely usable for performance and rehearsal.
Are they comfortable for extended wear?
Yes. Because they are shaped to your specific ear canal, they do not create the pressure or soreness that comes from forcing a generic size into an ear it does not fit. Most patients find custom protectors significantly more comfortable for all-day use than any off-the-shelf alternative.
What level of noise reduction do I need?
It depends on the type, intensity, and duration of your exposure. Dr. Aussem assesses your situation and recommends the appropriate attenuation level, including filtered options for situations where complete sound isolation is not the goal.
Schedule an appointment at our Glendale office.
Call or send a message and we’ll help you schedule a hearing evaluation at our Glendale office. No pressure and no sales tactics, just a clear next step.
Glendale, WI 53217