Designed for Your Hearing Journey
Hearing loss isn’t the same for everyone. For some, it happens suddenly. For others, it gets worse over time.
Fortunately, there’s a hearing solution for every kind of hearing loss.
If you have mild-to-moderate hearing loss, hearing aids can be a great help. But if hearing aids aren’t working well enough, it may be time for a more advanced solution, such as an Advanced Bionics cochlear implants (CI) for adults.
What Are Cochlear Implants and How Do They Work?
A cochlear implant is a small medical device that helps people with severe hearing loss hear sounds again.
Cochlear implant systems have two parts:
- A cochlear implant that goes under the skin
- A sound processor and headpiece that picks up the sounds around you.
Unlike hearing aids that make sounds louder, a cochlear implant sends sound signals directly to your hearing nerve. This allows your brain to process sound.
Cochlear Implants vs Hearing Aids
| Hearing Aids | Cochlear Implants | |
| How It Works | Makes sounds louder | Sends signals directly to the hearing nerve |
Best For | Mild to moderate hearing loss | Severe to profound hearing loss |
| Placement | Worn in or behind the ear | Small implant under the skin and sound processor with headpiece worn on the ear |
| When to Consider | If hearing aids help you hear well enough | If hearing aids no longer provide enough benefit |
| Insurance Coverage | Often not covered by Medicare, varies by provider | Frequently covered by Medicare and many private insurers |
| Surgery Required | No | Yes, a routine outpatient procedure under anesthesia |
| Long-Term Value | Good solution for mild to moderate hearing loss | Better sound quality and quality of life in severe and profound hearing loss |
The AB cochlear implant has enabled me to do everything that I previously thought was impossible.
I can finally play the other instruments. I can listen to the orchestra without problems, so much so that I can recognize which instrument comes in later than the ensemble. I can hear the nuances of sound from fortissimo to pianissimo. I recognize notes without problems. I can accompany singers. In short, the AB cochlear implant has enabled me to do everything that I previously thought was impossible.”
Martina Petruccio
Pianist
The Path to Getting a Cochlear Implant
 | Understanding Hearing Loss About 5% of people worldwide have hearing loss. If it’s not treated, it can make it hard to stay connected with friends, family, and the world around you. The good news? There are solutions that make speech clearer and listening easier. |
| | Find Out if Cochlear Implants Will Help You More Than a Hearing Aid Your hearing care provider will start with some hearing tests. If you have mild or moderate hearing loss, hearing aids can help. If you have severe or profound hearing loss, a cochlear implant may be a better option. |
| | Cochlear Implant Surgery Cochlear implant surgery is safe and routine. It usually takes one to three hours. During the surgery, your doctor places the hearing implant. |
| | Hear with Your Implant A few weeks after surgery, you’ll return to the clinic to set up your cochlear implant and start hearing. At this visit:
|
| | Follow up appointments You’ll have follow-up visits in the weeks or months after activation. Later, you’ll only need yearly check-ups. The team at Advanced Bionics will support you for life with programs and resources to help you hear your best. |
| | Life with an Implant Once your brain adjusts, you’ll experience:
Hear more. Do more. Live more — with Advanced Bionics. |
Cochlear Implants May Cost Less Than Your Hearing Aids
One of the most commonly asked questions about cochlear implants is how much they cost.
Because hearing aids can be expensive, it’s easy to assume cochlear implants are as well. But that’s not always true.
But in the United States, cochlear implants are often covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans, unlike hearing aids which are usually not covered.
Meet the Naída CI Marvel Cochlear Implant for Adults
Advanced Bionics’ adult cochlear implant, Naída CI Marvel, is designed to deliver clear, natural sound for everyday listening.
- Smart adjustments: AutoSense OS 3.0 adjusts your CI settings automatically based on where you are.
- Less background noise: Have an easier time focusing on what you want to hear in noisy environments.
- Easy streaming: Stream sounds from smart TVs, tablets, smartphones, game consoles, or any other Bluetooth®-enabled device.
- Two-ear hearing: Link to your Phonak hearing aids, CROS, or a second implant for a more natural hearing experience.
Trusted by Leading Hearing Care Providers
“I wouldn't be putting it in my patients if I didn't believe that…the new device is as good as it can be.”
Maura Cosetti
MD, Otologist-neurotologist at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai
Why Choose Advanced Bionics?
Advanced Bionics offers implants and sound processors designed for better hearing. With over thirty years of technology improvements, our devices consistently provide users with high quality sound.
Two-Ear Hearing Easily connect with other hearing devices, including dual cochlear implants or a Phonak hearing aid for two-ear hearing. |
Powerful Technology Smart design offers better results, such as better speech clarity in crowded places and better sound quality for music. |
Proven Outcomes & Reliability Our technology has a proven record of improving sound quality with regular technology upgrades. |
Lifetime Partnership We’re with you every step, from your first evaluation to years of hearing success. |
Better Hearing Today and in the Future Our future-proof implant allows you to hear your best today and enjoy future technology improvements. |
Support Wherever You Are With Remote Programming, your provider can adjust your implant from home, no travel needed. |
Real Stories. Real Results.
You’re not on this journey alone. Thousands of people are hearing rich, clear sound again with Advanced Bionics cochlear implants.
Watch their experiences and connect with real people who can share what life sounds like after getting an AB implant.
“I love thinking about the future of hearing
Whether it’s our kids doing musicals or our daughter singing, hearing those things and realizing that is a possibility for me is amazing.”
David Cluff
Hears with AB cochlear implants
Frequently Asked Questions About Cochlear Hearing Implants
Many adults living with severe or profound hearing loss can benefit from a CI implant. You might be a good candidate if you:
- Struggle to understand speech even when using hearing aids
- Find group conversations or phone calls especially difficult
- Feel upset or frustrated by communication challenges
- Have been diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss
- Want to stay active, social, and connected to loved ones
A hearing evaluation can confirm if an implant is right for you.
You’ll start hearing with your cochlear implant after your audiologist turns it on—usually two to four weeks after surgery. You’ll hear sounds right away, but your brain needs time to adjust, just like getting used to new glasses. Understanding speech and the sounds around you will usually improve gradually over the next few months, with most people noticing progress in about three months.
Everyone’s experience is different, but adults who hear with AB cochlear implants often describe:
- Improved speech understanding in both quiet and noisy environments
- More natural listening with compatible hearing aids
- Easier connection in day-to-day life through Bluetooth® streaming
- Greater independence at home, work, and in social settings
- Increased confidence in communicating and participating in life again
A cochlear implant (CI) is considered the next step in hearing technology when hearing aids are no longer providing the sound or support someone needs. Hearing aids go on the outside of the body and work like a speaker, making sound louder. Cochlear implants go under the skin and send sound waves directly to your hearing nerve for clearer understanding.
Cochlear implants are often covered by Medicare and many private insurance plans. Your exact coverage and any out-of-pocket costs depend on your insurance. You should reach out to your insurance provider for more detailed information, or contact the AB insurance support team.
Cochlear implants do not allow deaf people to hear in the same way as people without hearing loss. Instead, a cochlear implant sends electrical signals directly to the hearing nerves to be interpreted as sound. For many people who are deaf or have significant hearing loss, cochlear implants can help them have conversations, use the phone, and enjoy music. For young children, cochlear implants can help them learn speech and language.
Rediscover the Sounds and Voices That Matter Most
Join the thousands of people who have changed their life for the better with Advanced Bionics' newest cochlear implant technology.
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