Questions & Answers on Ear Molding

Two large studies from Texas and Canada show that 2/3 of all deformities or protruding ears will remain the same or worsen with time. About 1/3 of deformities will improve in the first week after birth when they are mild. We therefore have parents and pediatricians wait until after the baby is a week old to see if the ears correct on their own. After about 7-10 days old, whatever shape the ears have is what they will continue to be, unless they are molded into an improved shape.

Baby ear cartilage starts to harden at about 6-7 weeks of age. In babies born prematurely, the cartilage stays softer for longer. Therefore, we want to start ear molding before the cartilage hardens, preferably in the first 3 weeks after birth.

Ear molding puts gentle pressure on the cartilage of the ear while it is still soft. The cartilage bends into the correct shape over a few weeks with the mold in place. The mold is then kept in place when the ear cartilage starts to harden to make sure it hardens into the right shape.

Ear tape for protruding ears or other ear deformities is not as effective as ear molding. Tape can also put pressure on the outer rim of the ear, unfolding it and possibly causing further harm. In addition, tape cannot mold and fix complex deformities which need to be completely reshaped. 

No.  Ear splints, like EarBuddies™, are usually pre-made and one size fits all. They can be cumbersome to keep in the correct position and the tape can pull or distort the ear. They are inadequate for severely protruding ears or more complex ear deformities.

A small area of hair on the scalp around the ear is trimmed. The area is then cleaned and the mold is customized and placed to correct the prominent ear or the ear deformity. The mold either has its own adhesive or tape is applied to secure it into place. 

Not at all. The ear canal is never covered by the mold, so that hearing is not affected. The EarWell® infant ear molding system has holes in the front surface to allow sound to pass through.

Infant ear molding is not painful to apply or to keep on. It is completely non-surgical and applies gentle pressure to reshape the ear. A medical grade adhesive is used to keep the soft silicone mold in place. Most babies completely ignore it once it is in place. 

No. Due to the adhesive that is holding the mold in place, the area around the mold cannot get wet. The baby can still be bathed and the top of the head can be washed, but carefully placing cloths over the molds so that they don’t get wet. 

The ear mold should not affect nursing at all. We do recommend placing a clean cloth over the area to prevent milk or formula from dripping or being spit up into/onto the mold. 

Depending on what age we start the ear molding process, as well as the severity of the prominence or deformity, we usually mold for 4 to 6 weeks. The adhesive on the molds usually lasts about 2 weeks, so it does need to be replaced once or twice with a visit to the office. 

Ear molding for protruding ears, folded ears, crooked ears, and pointed ears is very successful. If started early enough, over 90% of babies get a complete correction of both ears or matching one abnormal ear to the other ear. 

While ear molding is ideally performed in the first 3 weeks after birth, we have been successful molding ears up to 3-4 months old. The cartilage is firmer at this older age, and the molds often have to be in place for 6 weeks or longer. We can’t guarantee full correction at older ages, but we often obtain significant improvement and avoid the need for future corrective ear surgery.

Ear molding is performed at our office in Manhattan. We perform ear molding on patients with ear deformities from Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, Yonkers, White Plains, Westchester, and New Jersey. We often perform ear molding on Saturday mornings, to make travel more convenient for new parents. If you are traveling from a distance, we will accommodate your schedule to allow an easy commute with minimal traffic.

Please bring a pacifier and a swaddle blanket to the appointment. Please feed, burp, and change your baby’s diaper before the appointment. This makes the babies as comfortable as can be, and they often fall asleep for the entire procedure! 

We teach parents how to strategically tape the edges of the ear mold when they start to get loose. We can always be reached if there is any issue and once it starts to loosen or detach, we will have you return to our office to have a new mold placed. If the mold is off for a short time, this will not affect the end outcome or extend the molding time needed. 

The vast majority of insurances will cover infant ear molding for newborn ear deformities, since it is considered reconstructive and non-cosmetic. Dr. Jandali will work with all insurances to get approval and will guide you in how to appeal the insurance company if coverage is denied. We obtain approval before your first visit, so that molding can be applied at the first visit.

Yes, if ear molding is not performed in time, and the cartilage hardens, then ear pinning surgery (otoplasty) can be performed when your child is about 5-6 years old. Otoplasty involves scraping the hard cartilage to weaken it and then applying permanent sutures to reshape it.

The goal with ear molding is to avoid future surgery, which has added risks, downtime, recovery, and cost. 

Ear molding is covered by insurance during infancy, as it is considered a deformity at that time.

However, otoplasty is considered cosmetic and is an out of pocket cost (not covered by insurance) when your child is older.