Can you have clear aligner treatment while studying at university in Ankara?
Yes. The university years are a time when the permanent teeth are complete and people often make the treatment decision themselves. The fact that clear aligners are barely visible and can be taken out to eat also helps them fit easily into student life. However, the success of treatment depends on wearing the aligners consistently and not missing check-ups. For a student in Ankara, this means planning treatment around the academic calendar, exam weeks, summer break and trips home.
Whether you study on a campus on the west side of the city, such as Bilkent, ODTÜ or Hacettepe Beytepe, or at a faculty in the city center, the planning logic is the same. On this page, we cover the topics students ask about most often. For the general steps of clear aligner treatment, see our clear aligner treatment page.
When is it easier to start treatment?
The first weeks of treatment are the period that requires the most adjustment: attachments (small grips bonded to the teeth) are placed, and you learn to put in and take out the aligners and get used to a new eating routine. That is why it helps not to have your start coincide with finals week or an important exam. For many students, the beginning of the semester or the quieter weeks mid-semester are a good time to start.
- First exam: An intraoral scan, photos and any necessary X-rays are taken; treatment options are discussed.
- Planning: A digital treatment plan (ClinCheck) is prepared and reviewed together with you.
- Aligner delivery: The attachments are bonded, the first aligners are handed over and how to wear them is explained.
- Check-ups: Usually every 6–10 weeks; the interval is set according to your orthodontist's plan.
How can check-up appointments fit around your class and exam schedule?
Since check-ups are several weeks apart, appointments can be planned ahead. Once your class schedule and exam calendar are set at the start of the semester, sharing them with the clinic makes it easier to keep check-ups outside midterm and finals weeks. Our clinic is open Monday–Saturday, 09:00–20:00; evening and Saturday appointments reduce clashes with class times. The clinic is located in Park Oran Ofis in Oran, Çankaya; to plan your route from campus, see our clear aligners in Ankara page or, for campuses on the west side of the city, our Beytepe and Bilkent page.
What happens to treatment during summer break and when you go home?
Summer break or a long semester break is one of the most critical periods of treatment. You need to let the clinic know in advance how long you will be away from Ankara. Depending on the stage of treatment, your orthodontist may consider the following options:
- Scheduling a check-up before the break and handing over together the aligners you will use during the break.
- Asking for photos of your teeth and aligners at set intervals during the break. These photos help with monitoring but do not replace an exam.
- Moving steps that must be done at the clinic, such as adding attachments or enamel reduction, to before or after the break.
How many aligners can be given at once depends on how treatment is progressing and is your orthodontist's decision. For detailed information on the limits of remote follow-up, read our out-of-town patients page.
What should you do if you are planning Erasmus, an internship abroad or a move to another city?
If you plan to study abroad for a semester or do a summer internship in another city, mention it before you start treatment. An absence that is known at the planning stage is much easier to fit into the treatment schedule. In some cases, treatment can be continued in another city or country; for this process and what to keep in mind, see our article on changing orthodontist or city during clear aligner treatment. Our clear aligners while traveling checklist also comes in handy for dealing with lost or broken aligners on trips.
How do you get 20–22 hours a day in the dorm and on campus?
Mealtimes can be irregular in student life; the dining hall, the campus snack bar, cafés and late-night snacks quietly stretch out the time without aligners. A few simple habits make things easier:
- Always keep an aligner case, a folding toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste and a water bottle in your bag.
- In the dining hall, put your aligner in its case, not on the tray or in a napkin. Most lost aligners end up in the trash this way.
- Between classes, drink coffee, tea and energy drinks with your aligners out; drink only plain water with them in.
- Do not wash your aligner with hot water in a shared bathroom; use lukewarm or cold water.
- Cigarettes and hookah stain the aligners and teeth and dry out the mouth; they should not be used with aligners in.
If an aligner is lost or broken, put in your previous aligner and let the clinic know. That is why you should not throw away your old aligners; keep them in a clean case. For the rules of daily wear, see our page on how to wear clear aligners.
Clear aligners or braces for student life?
Both methods are used to straighten teeth; which one suits you is assessed at the exam based on the condition of your teeth. In terms of student life, the differences can be summed up as follows:
- Discipline: Clear aligners depend on you wearing them; if they are worn inconsistently, treatment takes longer. Fixed braces are always in your mouth, so in that respect there is no room for forgetting.
- Eating and cleaning: Because aligners come out for meals, there are few food restrictions and brushing is easy. With braces, you need to avoid hard and sticky foods and clean carefully around the brackets.
- Emergencies: With braces, a loose bracket or a poking wire may call for a clinic visit; with aligners, if one is lost or broken, you can go back to the previous aligner.
- Visibility: Aligners are hard to notice in most settings; braces are visible, though there are less noticeable options such as ceramic brackets.
For a detailed comparison, see our page on clear aligners vs. braces.
How many semesters does treatment take?
The length of clear aligner treatment varies by case; it can take a few months for mild crowding and one to two years for more extensive corrections. In terms of the student calendar, treatment may span one or several academic semesters. The exact length becomes clear once digital planning is complete and can vary depending on how consistently you wear your aligners. Sharing how long you have left until graduation at the first appointment lets the plan be discussed with that in mind. For general information, see our page on how long clear aligner treatment takes.
Are sports, music and social life affected by clear aligners?
Most activities can be continued comfortably with aligners. For contact sports, using a mouthguard can be discussed based on your orthodontist's advice. If you play a wind instrument, you may need to take your aligner out while practicing; count this time in your daily wear total. On the first day of a new aligner, you may have a slight lisp; this usually passes quickly. Not switching to a new aligner right before a presentation or interview day lets you avoid this minor inconvenience.
How do fees, family and the decision process work?
The treatment fee is determined by the condition of your teeth and the complexity and length of treatment; it is provided in writing after the exam and planning. For the factors that affect the fee, see our clear aligner cost page, and for public options, our clear aligners at public hospitals page. If you are making the treatment decision together with your family, they can also join the plan review appointment or send their questions by phone. For students under 18, parental consent is required for treatment.
How do graduation and wisdom teeth affect the plan?
If you have a target date such as a graduation ceremony or the start of an internship, mention it at the first appointment; whether treatment can be finished by that date only becomes clear during planning. For details, see our page on clear aligners before a big day. The university years also coincide with the period when wisdom teeth come in. Whether these teeth need to be removed is assessed together with the orthodontic plan (when should wisdom teeth be removed?).
When treatment ends, a retainer is used to keep the teeth in their new position. If you will be moving to another city after graduation, it is recommended that you keep a spare set of retainers and your treatment records with you.