Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Recipients of BONEBRIDGE may undergo MRI scans as long as certain safety conditions are met. In fact, it's covered by our one-of-a-kind MRI guarantee.

Please contact your MED-EL representative for additional information regarding the particular conditions of your MRI scan.

Recipients may undergo X-ray or CT scanning without restrictions.

If you’d like to find out if BONEBRIDGE is the right solution for you, you can experience bone conduction hearing prior to implant surgery. This is done with the aid of non-surgical bone conduction devices which are positioned on the skin behind the ear. The sound quality of these devices may not be identical to that of BONEBRIDGE, but they will give you a good impression of what hearing with bone conduction is like.

Sounds from the environment are picked up by the microphones of the SAMBA Audio Processor. These sounds are converted into electrical signals, which are transmitted to the BONEBRIDGE implant. The implant directly vibrates the bones of your head. These amplified sound vibrations travel to your inner ear where they are perceived as sound. The vibrations can be adjusted for different degrees of hearing loss.

The implant is typically activated 2–4 weeks after the surgical procedure. The audio processor can be fitted as soon as any minor swelling of the scalp, caused by the surgery, has subsided.

You can wear your audio processor as long as you wish. Most users wear it all day. However, it should be removed before you shower, bathe, or go to sleep.

You’ll simply place your SAMBA 2 Audio Processor over the implant site to begin using it for the day. Depending on usage, you will normally need to replace the battery approximately every 5–7 days.

BONEBRIDGE is designed for superior wearing comfort. Conventional bone conduction, or bone-anchored, hearing aids work in two ways. Some have an "abutment"—a small metal screw protruding through the skin, which the audio processor snaps on to. The skin around this screw is unable to ever heal completely, putting you at risk of skin infections and other complications. As BONEBRIDGE is implanted completely under the skin, this risk is not there.

Alternatively, a bone conduction hearing aid presses against the head using strong pressure, to allow the sound vibrations to travel through the skin to the bone. This constant high pressure can also cause skin problems, as well as headaches. With BONEBRIDGE’s unique design there is no pressure on the skin, making it much more comfortable to wear all day long.

BONEBRIDGE is an active bone conduction system designed to restore hearing to individuals 12 years and older with conductive or mixed hearing loss, or single-sided deafness. BONEBRIDGE consists of an internal bone conduction implant and an external audio processor.

If you’re interested in BONEBRIDGE, simply fill out the contact form below, and we'll put you in touch with a hearing specialist in your area.

No. The tiny mechanical vibrations of the bone conduction implant are so small that you won’t feel them.

Yes! With the SYNCHRONY implant you can have a 1.5 or 3.0 Tesla MRI without removing the magnet* (unless diagnostically required) following certain conditions. This means you don’t have to go through magnet removal surgery or experience hearing downtime if you injure your knee, for example, and need an MRI. 

And because we’re dedicated to offering you outstanding MRI safety, all our cochlear implants since 1994 are covered against damage during an MRI scan by our MRI Guarantee. All previous ‘legacy’ MED-EL implants can undergo standard MRIs of 1.5 Tesla.

For instructions on safely completing an MRI scan, please see our Important Safety Information.


* SYNCHRONY cochlear implants are MR conditional. Recipients with a SYNCHRONY 2 or SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant may be safely MRI scanned at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla following the conditions detailed in the instructions for use. Magnet removal not required unless for diagnostic reasons.

MED-EL audio processors are designed with music enjoyment in mind. All our latest-generation MED-EL CI audio processors offer easy ways to stream sound from your smartphone, TV, and more. Please see our Connectivity page for more information.

Yes, MED-EL's cochlear implant audio processors are designed to be compatible with all multi-channel MED-EL cochlear implants. This means you can easily switch to a spare audio processor for flexible wearing options, or upgrade to the latest processor without changing your implant.

A cochlear implant turns sound waves into electrical nerve impulses, which the brain interprets as sound.

For a detailed explanation of how cochlear implants work, take a look at our Cochlear Implants page. 

To ensure you hear your best at all times, it's important to keep your audio processor clean and in good working order. Visit the Support pages for more detailed information about your audio processor.

All MED-EL implants have an ultra-thin profile, making them barely noticeable behind your ear. The size of your audio processor depends on the type of processor; however, each one is designed with comfort and style in mind. For the exact dimensions of your implant or processor, see the technical data on the individual product pages.

Many people only have one cochlear implant. However, there are benefits to having both ears implanted. These advantages include improved speech understanding in noise, better speech recognition, and improved sound localization. Many parents report that children with two implants are able to concentrate better in school and that they are less tired from social interaction.

Yes, it is possible to use a different brand of cochlear implant on each ear. Keep in mind that different systems may have different batteries, battery lifetimes, accessories, and other parts.

A cochlear implant system is a combination of an internal cochlear implant and an external audio processor. A cochlear implant system is designed to restore hearing to individuals with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss.

SYNCHRONY PIN is a version of the standard SYNCHRONY implant, but with additional fixation pins. These small titanium pins are part of the implant housing and provide even more implant stability. Your surgeon will decide whether to use a PIN implant or not.

The electrode array is the part of the implant that will be inserted into your cochlea. There are many different electrode arrays available, so your surgeon can choose the one that is most suitable for your cochlea. The full range includes: the FLEX Series and the Classic Series.

EAS is a hearing implant system designed for adults with high-frequency hearing loss. It is the combination of two technologies: electric stimulation for high-frequency sounds and acoustic amplification for low-frequency sounds.

The cochlear implant directly stimulates the part of the cochlea responsible for high-frequency sounds, while the acoustic component amplifies the natural volume of the low-frequency sounds. EAS takes advantage of a person’s residual natural hearing to provide optimal hearing outcomes.

Although both hearing aids and cochlear implants are designed to improve an individual’s hearing, the two types of devices are fundamentally different from each other.

A hearing aid only amplifies the sound reaching the middle ear, which may not be effective if the inner ear is damaged. A cochlear implant bypasses the inner ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve. This means that cochlear implants can help people with a damaged inner ear, who receive no benefit from hearing aids.

Different implant and audio processors are available in different countries.

The implants available in the United States are in the SYNCHRONY series, including both SYNCHRONY and SYNCHRONY 2

The audio processors available in the United States are RONDO 3 and SONNET 2. 

Cochlear implants are available for people with significant bilateral hearing loss, single-sided deafness, asymmetrical hearing loss, and high frequency hearing loss. If you’d like to learn more about the right hearing solution for you, simply fill out the contact form below, and we'll put you in touch with a hearing specialist in your area.