For audiologists fitting air-conduction hearing aids, output verification with real-ear and coupler measurements has been available for decades. These measurements have supported the development of normative data, prescriptive formulas and amplification guidelines for children and adults. For bone-conduction hearing devices, verification tools such as skull-simulators have only been available since 2018. In parallel, new types of bone-conduction hearing implants such as active transcutaneous implants have recently become available. As such, audiologists working with bone-conduction hearing devices are practicing in a rapidly evolving field, yet this field is still in its early stage of verification.

Verification tools in bone-conduction amplification offer a new lens through which clinical and research questions can be approached. This presentation will discuss how verification tools in bone-conduction amplification can help guide audiologists in device selection, fitting and candidacy assessments. Recent research findings exploring fitting characteristics of bone-conduction hearing devices for a wide range of conductive and mixed hearing losses will be presented. Results of an ongoing research project aiming to support bone-conduction hearing implant candidacy assessment for mixed hearing losses will be discussed. This presentation will also provide an overview of the principles of bone-conduction hearing, and the various bone-conduction hearing devices and implants.

Learning objectives:

•  Review bone-conduction hearing implant candidacy considerations for various types of hearing losses
• Review current and upcoming verification tools in bone-conduction amplification
• Explore how verification tools can support clinical practices in bone-conduction amplification
• Understand the differences between bone-conduction hearing thresholds in diagnostic assessments and for device fitting purposes