Hearing Aids in Toronto
Imagine you’re out for dinner at a busy restaurant. You’re sitting across from your friend or partner, trying to enjoy a conversation. But all around you, there’s the clinking of cutlery, background music, and other diners talking and laughing.
One of the most common complaints among individuals with early hearing loss is:
“I can hear, but I can’t understand in noisy places.”
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Adult Hearing
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Audiometry
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Pediatric Hearing
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Speech in Noise
Testing (LISN-S)
A Complete Guide to Treatment, Care & Cost
Most people can tune out the noise and focus on the person they’re with. But for some, it’s a real struggle—not because they’re not listening, but because their brain has trouble separating the voice they want to hear from all the background sounds.
If you or a loved one are finding it difficult to hear in noise, then you are most likely living with early hearing loss. Missing what others are saying at home and in public is frustrating.
Skipping the conversation—or just nodding your way through it—is not a normal way to go through life.
The good news? With today’s hearing technology and advanced testing, we can give you access to all the conversations you want to hear.
What Are Hearing Aids?
Hearing loss affects millions of Canadians, yet fewer than one in five people who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them.
Hearing aids are small medical-grade devices worn in or behind the ear that process then amplify sounds based on a person’s hearing loss to help them communicate more clearly. Today’s devices feature AI-powered noise reduction, Bluetooth® connectivity, Auracast™ streaming, and rechargeable batteries, all in discreet, nearly invisible form factors.
Are hearing aid brands different?
Yes. The hearing aid brands differ significantly in technology, sound philosophy, and specialized features. Some brands prioritize recreation of natural soundscape, while others focus on enhancing speech clarity over background noise, while some focus on customizable features.
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As a private audiology clinic, Toronto Hearing Services works with a wide range of advanced hearing aid solutions, which allows us to meet your unique hearing needs and lifestyle, be they trouble hearing in noise, ears feeling blocked, or the environment sounds unnatural.
How Different are the Hearing Aids Styles?
Hearing aid styles differ significantly in size, placement, power, and features. The styles include visibility, your dexterity, battery life, and capacity for wireless connectivity features. Aesthetically speaking, our hearing aids can be paired with your hair color, or select from a vibrant customized color pattern.
Behind-the-Ear hearing aids (BTE): The most versatile style, with a casing behind the ear connected to a custom-made mold inside the canal. They are durable, easy to handle, and allow for the greatest power which makes it the go-to choice for patients of severe-to-profound hearing loss. Not much day-to-day maintenance is required as it securely integrates multiple small parts.
Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC): As in its name, this style of hearing aid is invisible in the canal. As every ear canal shapes differently, IIC is also a custom made model that sits deep in the canal, offering maximum discretion. Some connectivity features might be sacrificed, though, given the depth it is sitting. Dexterity requirement similar to that of ITC.
CROS/BiCROS hearing aid: for patients with very different hearing losses in both ears. It is a hearing aid on the better hearing side, with an additional microphone on the much worse side to help you hear sounds from the other side — even though it delivers all sounds to your better ear. Just like its name, sound CROSses over.
To find out which style works best for you, our audiologists will discuss the options with you and make recommendations based on your hearing profile.
To find out which style works best for you, our audiologists will discuss the options with you and make recommendations based on your hearing profile.
Receiver-in-Canal hearing aids (RIC/RITE): A popular, discreet variation of BTE where the receiver is in the ear canal rather than the case, providing a more natural sound. From our experience, receiver-in-canal hearing aids are the go-to for 70% of our clients. Regular DIY maintenance needed due to potential wax build-up and dome wearing down. Some dexterity is required, but if you can manipulate small objects, RIC aids are not a problem for you.
In-the-Canal (ITC) & Completely-in-Canal (CIC): Smaller than ITE style, ITC is a custom-made fit that sits in the canal, ideal for mild to moderate, or moderate-to-severe loss. Dexterity matters for this style as you will rely on a small secure tail on the hearing aid to take it out from your ear.
Step By Step Procedure
What to Expect on Your First Visit
01
Get to Know You & Understand Your Symptoms
Get to Know You & Understand Your Symptoms
02
Discuss Your Treatment Goals & Medical History
Discuss Your Treatment Goals & Medical History
03
Determine Your Stage of Hearing Loss/Tinnitus
Determine Your Stage of Hearing Loss/Tinnitus
04
Answer All of Your Questions or Concerns
Answer All of Your Questions or Concerns
05
Begin a Custom Treatment Plan
Begin a Custom Treatment Plan
Why Treating Hearing Loss Matters
The consequences of untreated hearing loss extend well beyond difficulty following a conversation. Here is what the research shows:
Dementia risk: Hearing aids are greatly tied with dementia prevention. Untreated hearing loss is the top modifiable risk factor for dementia, according to Lancet’s 2024 report. Plenty research confirms the association, stating any untreated hearing loss increases the likelihood of having dementia by 61%. Learn more about this association.
Social isolation: Hearing aids empower people with hearing loss. A 2025 meta-analysis of 65 studies found that hearing aids:
- dramatically improve social engagement
- decrease perceived social handicap
- reducing loneliness,
- more confidence in group conversations and noisy settings.
Read more in our blog on how hearing aids help tackle social isolation.
Physical and mental health: hearing aid users show greater desire to be physically active, improved mood, and a better sense of self, which in turn improves cognitive functions and whole-body health as movement enhances blood flow.
Quoting Victoria Sanchez of the USF: “Because patients are hearing sounds more clearly, they are able to fully participate in their activities, adapt better to challenging environments, and have a better sense of self.”
CUSTOM TREATMENT PLAN
Begin Your Treatment Today
Don’t wait to take the next step toward better hearing and a better quality of life. Whether you’re looking to address hearing problems or book a hearing test, our clinics across Toronto are here to support you.
From testing to treatment, our team will guide you through every step. Whether you’re just starting to notice changes or have been managing hearing loss for a while, we’re ready to help you find the right solution.
Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward better hearing and a more connected living.
Request Your Consultation
*Please first request a referral from your doctor to have your hearing test covered by OHIP*
What Happens After You Get Hearing Aids?
Fitting the device is just the beginning. Your brain needs time to adapt to improved hearing, and your hearing profile will change over time. Toronto Hearing Services’ After Care Bundle provides structured, ongoing support that most clinics simply do not offer.
Key components of the After Care Bundle include:
- Auditory Training Progress Checks to ensure your auditory system is developing maximum benefit.
- Proactive Hearing Monitoring catches changes early to ensure intervention always meets the auditory stimulation you need.
- Annual Cognitive Performance Tracking helps detect early concerns warranting neurological follow-up.
- Unlimited Adjustments & Maintenance — Fine-tuning for new environments, reprogramming as your hearing changes, deep cleaning, moisture removal, and replacement parts at no additional charge.
- 4-Year Treatment Review — Near the 4-year mark, your clinician reviews whether your technology still matches your hearing profile and lifestyle needs.
Explore what you can get with your hearing aid here.
How do I find the right hearing clinic?
Toronto Hearing Services is one of the few medical audiology clinics in the Toronto area, serving patients across North York, Markham, and Etobicoke. Care is directed by Doctors of Audiology (Au.D.) and supported by staff who are NCCDP Certified Dementia Practitioners® and Certified Tinnitus Specialists.
Unlike electronics retailers or hearing aid stores, this clinic integrates hearing health and brain health into every phase of care — because for most patients, the two cannot be separated.
Your hearing health needs to be treated medically.
A full-scope audiology treatment should cover at minimum: comprehensive assessment (including extended high frequencies and speech-in-noise), real-ear measurement, annual hearing monitoring, cognitive monitoring, auditory training, and unlimited follow-up support.
Use this 9-point checklist when you look for your hearing clinic.
Ready to Take the First Step?
If you are experiencing difficulty following conversations, frequently asking people to repeat themselves, or noticing ringing in your ears, a comprehensive hearing assessment is the right starting point.
Toronto Hearing Services Locations
The Audiology Centre (North York)
Business Hours:
Mon–Thurs: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Phone: (416) 498–4151
FAX:
416–498–1589
Markham Stouffville Hearing Services
Business Hours:
Mon–Thurs: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – 1:30 pm
Phone: (905) 471-4327
FAX:
905-471-4338
West End Hearing Services
Business Hours:
Tue–Thurs: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Mon & Fri: Closed
Phone: (416) 233-8581
FAX:
416-233-4390
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a hearing aid clinic and a hearing aid store?
A medical audiology clinic provides diagnosis, risk profiling, brain health monitoring, and long-term management. A hearing aid store primarily sells devices. The clinical depth of assessment and the scope of ongoing care differ significantly.
How do I know what technology level I need?What is the difference between a hearing aid clinic and a hearing aid store?
Your audiologist will match technology to your listening environments, lifestyle, and degree of hearing loss. Quiet home environments need different features than busy workplaces or restaurants.
Does extended health insurance cover hearing aids in Ontario?
Many private benefit plans in Ontario provide partial coverage for hearing aids. ODSP and ADP (Assistive Devices Program) also offer subsidies for eligible individuals. Your clinic can provide documentation to support your claim.
How long does the whole process take?
The initial assessment and fitting typically begin on Day 1, with the full treatment cycle structured over 4 years of ongoing care and monitoring.
Is auditory training really necessary?
Research shows that structured auditory training significantly improves hearing aid outcomes and reduces the frustration many people experience during the adjustment period — particularly in noisy environments. You can read more about this here.