A method, system and computer readable storage media for guiding an intra-oral scan utilizing augmented reality. By visualizing a scan strategy in a field of view of a clinician during an intra-oral scanning scan procedure, a need to monitor the progress of the intra-oral scan on a separate monitor may be eliminated or reduced in order to save time.

Methods and apparatuses for assessing oral health and automatically providing diagnosis of one or more oral diseases. Described herein are intraoral scanning methods and apparatuses for collecting and analyzing image data and to detect and visualize features within image data that are indicative of oral diseases or conditions, such as gingival inflammation or oral cancer. These methods and apparatuses may be used for identifying and evaluating lesions, redness and inflammation in soft tissue and caries and cracks in the teeth. The methods an include training a machine learning model and using the trained machine learning model to provide a diagnosis of an oral disease or condition based on image data collected using multiple scanning modes of an intraoral scanner.

Described herein is an optical device that is arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation and a method of forming an optical device. In one embodiment, the optical device comprises an optical fibre that is arranged to transmit electromagnetic radiation between a source of electromagnetic radiation and an area of interest of a sample material. The optical device also comprises an optical element coupled to an end portion of the optical fibre. The optical element comprises a graphene lens that is arranged to focus the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the optical fibre to a focal region within the area of interest of the sample material.

A compact single-axis confocal endomicroscope is provided, capable of complying within 2.8 mm diameter endoscope space requirements. The single-axis confocal endomicroscope uses a folded path design achieved between a fixed mirror and a lateral plane scanning mirror thereby producing a high numerical aperture that allows for diffraction-limited resolution with sub-surface depths. The scanning mirror is formed on a fixed-position, scanning MEMS assembly and has a central aperture that allows for illumination beam expansion in the folded path design. A series of spacers are used to retain beam focusing optical elements in fixed positioned relative to the scanning MEMS assembly for coupling with a single mode fiber.

Imaging components and systems are described herein. An example imaging component can include: a housing; at least one excitation optical element at least partially disposed within the housing; at least one laser-guiding element at least partially disposed within the housing, the at least one laser-guiding element being configured to deliver excitation pulses to a target location through the at least one excitation optical element via an aperture; and a signal collecting element disposed adjacent to the at least one excitation optical element.

Apparatuses, including sleeves, intraoral scanning systems to use these sleeves, and methods of using the sleeve, that authenticate the sleeve for use with an intraoral scanning system. Authentication may include verifying that the sleeve is new (unused) and/or verifying that the sleeve is appropriate and/or intended for use with the intraoral scanning system. Once authenticated, operation parameters of the intraoral scanning system can be automatically set based on information from a scanned identifier on the sleeve.

Disclosed is a visual imaging device based on PS-OCT for early demineralization and caries of dental hard tissues, comprising a laser light source for emitting a laser light, a coupler for receiving and dividing the laser light emitted by the laser light source into a reference laser light and a detection laser light; wherein the reference laser light backtracking to the coupler and the detection laser light backtracking to the coupler are coupled and then passed through a transmission grating and a convex lens to input as an optical signal into a linear CCD detector for converting the optical signal into an electrical signal which is then input to a computer control system and collected by a built-in capture card; and the computer is configured to perform a three-dimensional reconstruction of an image and perform two-dimensional cross-section image analysis; and the computer control system is connected to the scanning galvanometer to control a vibration of the scanning galvanometer. The device of the present application can be used for performing PS-OCT imaging detection of the dental hard tissue surface in the oral cavity of a subject. The computer control system automatically performs two-dimensional cross-section imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction imaging of the image, thereby completing a three-dimensional quantitative evaluation. The present application provides a new method for clinically detecting early demineralization of dental hard tissue with high resolution.

A scanning assembly for an optical instrument includes a reflector and a folded-beam spring assembly coupled to the reflector for deflecting the reflector for beam scanning. A lever suspension assembly is coupled to the folded-beam spring assembly and provides torsional movement of the reflector for beam scanning over a two-dimensional region, allowing for large total scan angles and large vertical displacements.

An optical endoluminal far-field microscopic imaging catheter comprises a light generating system, a first light delivery conduit for propagating light generated by the light generating system and a light distributor configured to redirect light propagated by the delivery conduit into a direction of an object to be imaged. A discriminator is configured for capturing light reflected from the object incident on a window of the discriminator from a particular direction and transmitting only the light captured from the particular direction to a second light delivery conduit. A drive mechanism is configured to sweep the window through a plurality of directions in a predictable pattern for matching each light capture event in the window with a direction of the window during the event. An analyzer matches the direction of the window with an associated light capture event and generate a visible image based on a mosaic of the captured light.

A method of imaging a vessel with a catheter includes positioning an imaging tip in a reinforced terminal section of an outer sheath of the catheter, inserting the catheter into a vessel, and performing near infrared spectroscopy of the vessel by retracting the imaging tip to a retracted position proximally spaced from the reinforced terminal section of the outer sheath, transmitting near infrared light from the imaging tip to the vessel wall via the outer sheath, and collecting near infrared light from the vessel wall at the imaging tip via the outer sheath. Transmitting and collecting may be performed after retracting the cable and while the imaging tip is rotated and translated proximally from the retracted position along the outer sheath. Ultrasound energy may be transmitted to the vessel from a transducer on the imaging tip and received from the vessel at the transducer.