A method for removing external light interference according to the present disclosure includes: performing the scan in the state where external light is turned on, performing the scan in the state where the external light and internal light are turned on together, and calculating a brightness value from an obtained image. Further, by subtracting the brightness value obtained in the brightness calculating step from a color value of the image through an operation, it is possible to obtain an image and a three-dimensional scan model with the influence of the external light being minimized.

An apparatus for intraoral scanning comprises an elongate handheld wand comprising a probe at a distal end, one or more light projectors, and two or more cameras. Each light projector comprises at least one light source configured to generate light and a pattern generating optical element configured to generate a pattern of light when the light is transmitted through the pattern generating optical element. Each camera comprises a camera sensor and one or more lenses and is configured to capture a plurality of images that depict at least a portion of the projected pattern of light on an intraoral surface, wherein each camera is configured to focus at an object focal plane that is located between about 1 mm and about 30 mm from a lens of the one or more lenses that is farthest from the camera sensor.

In a method of generating a virtual 3D model of a dental site, scan data comprising a plurality of images of a dental site is received during an intraoral scan. An analysis of an image is performed. A representation of a reference object with known properties is identified in the image based on the analysis. A virtual 3D model of the dental site is generated based on the plurality of images. The image and/or the virtual 3D model of the dental site is modified by adding additional data about the reference object to the intraoral image and/or the virtual 3D model based on the one or more known properties of the reference object. If the image is modified, it may be modified prior to generation of the virtual 3D model, and the virtual 3D model may be generated using the modified image.

An intraoral scanner comprises an elongate wand comprising a probe at a distal end of the elongate wand, one or more light sources disposed within the elongate wand away from the distal end of the probe, one or more waveguides disposed within the probe, and one or more image sensors disposed at the distal end of the probe. The one or more light sources are configured to generate unpatterned light, The one or more waveguides are configured to receive the unpatterned light generated by the one or more light sources and to output patterned light from one or more locations at the distal end of the probe. The one or more image sensors are configured to capture images of intraoral objects illuminated by the patterned light.

In a method of generating a virtual 3D model of a dental site, scan data comprising an intraoral image is received during an intraoral scan of a dental site. A representation of a foreign object is identified in the intraoral image based on a color analysis of the scan data. The intraoral image is modified by removing the representation of the foreign object from the intraoral image. Additional scan data comprising a plurality of additional intraoral images of the dental site is received during the intraoral scan. A 3D surface of the dental site is then generated using the modified intraoral image and the plurality of additional intraoral images.

A method for registering an imaging detector to a surface projects and records a sequence having a first sparse pattern of lines followed by a second sparse pattern of lines. A first subset of positions receives lines from both first and second sparse patterns corresponding to a first label. A second subset of positions receives only lines from the first sparse pattern corresponding to a second label. A third subset of positions receives only lines from the second sparse pattern corresponding to a third label. The first, second, and third labels are decoded and each member element of the first, second, and third subsets of positions registered to the imaging detector according to the decoded labels. One or more dense patterns of lines positionally correlated with registered member elements of the decoded labels are projected and recorded. An image of the surface contour is formed according to the recorded pattern.

A system comprises a dental tray comprising an array of fixed focus cameras, wherein each fixed focus camera of the first array of fixed focus cameras has a fixed position and orientation relative to one or more other fixed focus camera of the array of fixed focus cameras. The system further comprises a processing device to receive a plurality of images generated by the array of fixed focus 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 fixed focus cameras from the array of fixed focus cameras, and generate a three-dimensional model of a plurality of teeth based on the stitched plurality of images.

An intraoral scanner comprises a light source, a moveable opto-mechanical module, an axial actuator, and an image sensor. The light source is configured to generate light that is to be output onto an object external to the intraoral scanner. The moveable opto-mechanical module comprises integrated projection/imaging optics and an exit pupil, the projection/imaging optics having an optical axis, wherein the projection/imaging optics are entirely integrated into the moveable opto-mechanical module. The axial actuator is coupled to the projection/imaging optics and configured to move the moveable opto-mechanical module comprising an entirety of the projection/imaging optics in the optical axis to achieve a plurality of focus settings. The image sensor is configured to receive reflected light that has been reflected off of the object external to the intraoral scanner for the plurality of focus settings.

A method and apparatus for generating and displaying a 3D representation of a portion an intraoral scene is provided. The method includes determining 3D point cloud data representing a part of an intraoral scene in a point cloud coordinate space. A colour image of the same part of the intraoral scene is acquired in camera coordinate space. The colour image elements are labelled that are within a region of the image representing a surface of said intraoral scene, which should preferably not be included in said 3D representation. A labelled and applicably transformed colour image is then mapped onto the 3D point cloud data, whereby the 3D point cloud data points that map onto labelled colour image elements are removed or filtered out. A 3D representation is generated from said filtered 3D point cloud data, which does not include any of the surfaces represented by the labelled colour image elements.

An apparatus for intraoral scanning comprises an elongate handheld wand comprising a probe at a distal end, one or more light projectors, and two or more cameras. Each light projector comprises at least one light source configured to generate light and a pattern generating optical element configured to generate a pattern of light when the light is transmitted through the pattern generating optical element. Each camera comprises a camera sensor and one or more lenses and is configured to capture a plurality of images that depict at least a portion of the projected pattern of light on an intraoral surface, wherein each camera is configured to focus at an object focal plane that is located between about 1 mm and about 30 mm from a lens of the one or more lenses that is farthest from the camera sensor.