A digital dental tray system is described including a dental tray shaped to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth and a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) optical imaging elements attached to the dental tray. Each of the 3D optical imaging elements comprises a structured light projector to project a light pattern onto one or more teeth of the plurality of teeth and a camera to capture an image of the one or more teeth.

An intra-oral handheld 3D optical scanner includes an illumination module configured to generate an illumination signal to illuminate a dental object, and an image sensor configured to obtain data in response to the illumination of the dental object. The data is configured to be used to generate a 3D dental model of the dental object. The scanner also includes a lens housing including an optical lens that is configured to direct the illuminating signal towards the dental object, and a drive including a shaft that is configured to rotate around a rotation axis. The scanner also includes a guide extending continuously along at least a part of a length of the shaft and a spring, arranged intermediate between the lens housing and the guide, configured to exert a spring force towards the guide.

A three-dimensional optical scanning system for scanning a three-dimensional dental object, the system including a first scanning station configured to receive a first three-dimensional dental object, and further configured to rotate around a first axis during the scanning; and an imaging unit including at least one camera and configured to rotate around an imaging unit axis during the scanning, wherein the optical scanning system is configured such that the imaging unit acquires a plurality of two-dimensional images of the first three-dimensional dental object corresponding to a set of predefined static relative positions between the imaging unit and the first scanning station for generating a first three-dimensional digital representation of the first three-dimensional dental object.

A method for extending initial image data of a subject for dose estimation includes obtaining first image data of the subject for dose calculation, wherein the first image data has a first field of view. The method further includes obtaining second image data for extending the field of view of the first image data. The second image data has a second field of view that is larger than the first field of view. The method further includes extending the first field of view based on the second image data, producing extended image data.

A method for measuring regions of a tooth in a mouth including: measuring at least one surface point on a surface of the tooth with respect to an element mechanically coupled to said surface point; determining a location of at least one visible reference mechanically coupled to said surface point with respect to said element; estimating a location of said surface point with respect to said visible reference. A device used for such measuring may include a main body comprising a final optical element of an imager which defines an optical field of view directed in a first direction; and a measurement element coupled to said main body extending generally in said first direction; where a tip of said measurement element is sized and shaped to be inserted between a tooth and adjacent gingiva; where said optical field of view is sized to image at least part of a tooth.

An intra-oral optical scanning method for intra-oral optical scanning including projecting a pattern, the pattern including at least a first area illuminated by a first color of light and a second area illuminated by a second color of light and at least one non-illuminated area onto an intra-oral feature, making a first image of the first area, the second area and the non-illuminated area differentiating between the first color of light and the second color of light in the first image of the projected pattern, and determining from the image of the non-illuminated area at least one of an ambient light level, a level of scattered light, a level of light absorption and a level of light reflected from at least one of the first area and the second area. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

A system comprises a dental tray comprising an array of cameras, wherein each camera of the first array of cameras has a fixed position and orientation relative to one or more other camera of the array of cameras. The system further comprises a processing device to receive a plurality of images generated by the array of cameras, stitch the plurality of images together based on calibration data specifying predetermined image stitching parameters for combining the plurality of images, wherein the predetermined image stitching parameters are based on predetermined fixed relative positions and orientations of cameras from the array of cameras, and generate a three-dimensional model of a plurality of teeth based on the stitched plurality of images.

In a desktop three-dimensional scanner for dental use of the related art, a two-axis rotation motion unit, on which a target object can be placed and rotated in order to image the entire shape of the target object, is coupled to the scanner, and thus, when a subject is placed on the imaging stage and is rotated along the horizontal axis of rotation of the stage, the subject is dropped from the stage by gravity after being inclined, and accordingly, additional fixing means or a receiving jig should be placed on the stage together with the subject to prevent same. In such a case, inconvenience is caused because the target objects to be scanned have various shapes and the fixing means or receiving jigs should fit the shapes thereof. According to one embodiment of the desktop three-dimensional scanner for dental user of the present invention, a camera and a projector are provided on the unit for changing the horizontal axis of rotation of the imaging stage, and thus a target object does not have to be inclined during the scanning process and dental prostheses of various shapes can be three-dimensionally scanned even without additional fixing means or a receiving jig.

Method and apparatus embodiments can generate a volume fluorescence image of a tooth. Method and apparatus embodiments can project structured light patterns onto a tooth and generate a contour (volume) image of the tooth surface from acquired corresponding structured light projection images; then acquire one or more fluorescence images of the tooth generated under blue-UV illumination. A composite image that shows fluorescence image content mapped to the generated contour image can be transmitted, stored, modified and/or displayed.

An intra-oral imaging apparatus for obtaining a contour image of a tooth has a fringe pattern generator energizable to emit a fringe pattern illumination. The fringe pattern generator has (i) at least one structured light source that is energizable to emit a patterned light beam; (ii) at least one reflective element in the path of the emitted patterned light beam and actuable to rotate about an axis to scan the emitted patterned light beam along a tooth surface as fringe pattern illumination. A detector is configured to acquire one or more images of the fringe pattern illumination from the tooth surface. A control logic processor is configured to control the fringe pattern generator for illuminating the tooth and to obtain and process the one or more images acquired by the detector.