A scanner includes a lens assembly comprising a lens having a lens axis and a positioning system to adjust a focal plane of the lens assembly. The positioning system includes an outer element, an inner element coupled to the lens assembly, and a linear-motion bearing that couples the inner element to the outer element. The linear-motion bearing provides a single degree of translational movement of the inner element along the lens axis.

A method comprises obtaining reference data about a 3D calibration object, the reference data comprising known coordinates for a plurality of points on the object, and obtaining measurement data comprising measurements for the plurality of points on the object, the measurement data having been generated based on scanning of the object by an uncalibrated intraoral scanner. The method comprises comparing the measurement data to the reference data to determine differences therebetween and applying the determined differences between the measurement data and the reference data for the plurality of points to a function to generate a compensation model that compensates for one or more inaccuracies of the intraoral scanner. The compensation model is then stored, wherein the compensation model causes the intraoral scanner to be a calibrated intraoral scanner and is usable to correct measurement errors of the intraoral scanner caused by the one or more inaccuracies of the intraoral scanner.

A system comprises alight source to provide light, an optical system comprises focusing optics to focus the light onto a focal surface, a detector to measure returning light that is reflected off of a three dimensional object, a translation mechanism to displace the focal surface along an imaging axis defined by the optical path, and one or more processor. The one or more processor is to generate measurement data comprising coordinates of a plurality of surface points of the three dimensional object based on the measured returning light; adjust the coordinates of the subset of the plurality of surface points along up to three axes to correct the measurement data so as to remove inaccuracies caused by changes in magnification at the focal surface; and generate a three dimensional model of the three dimensional object using corrected measurement data.

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.

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.

According to the invention, a method and system are provided for scanning, and for facilitating scanning of, an intraoral cavity. The target parts of the intraoral cavity that it is desired to have scanned are identified, and the spatial s relationships between a scanning device and the target parts of the intraoral cavity suitable for enabling said target parts to be scanned by said scanning device, are also identified or otherwise determined. These relationships are then displayed, and the displayed relationships are used as a guide for scanning the intraoral cavity.

A device for determining the surface topology and associated color of a structure, such as a teeth segment, includes a scanner for providing depth data for points along a two-dimensional array substantially orthogonal to the depth direction, and an image acquisition means for providing color data for each of the points of the array, while the spatial disposition of the device with respect to the structure is maintained substantially unchanged. A processor combines the color data and depth data for each point in the array, thereby providing a three-dimensional color virtual model of the surface of the structure. A corresponding method for determining the surface topology and associate color of a structure is also provided.

The present disclosure provides computing device implemented methods, computing device readable media, and systems for motion compensation in a three dimensional scan. Motion compensation can include receiving three-dimensional (3D) scans of a dentition, estimating a motion trajectory from one scan to another, and calculating a corrected scan by compensating for the motion trajectory. Estimating the motion trajectory can include one or more of: registering a scan to another scan and determining whether an amount of movement between the scans is within a registration threshold; determining an optical flow based on local motion between consecutive two-dimensional (2D) images taken during the scan, estimating and improving a motion trajectory of a point in the scan using the optical flow; and estimating an amount of motion of a 3D scanner during the scan as a rigid body transformation based on input from a position tracking device.

Systems for generating in-focus color images are provided. Related methods and devices are also provided.

An apparatus for dental imaging comprises a light source for generating light, an optics system for focusing the light, and a light-guiding part having an entrance face and an exit face. The light source, the optics system and the light-guiding part are arranged such that the light passes through the optics system, enters the light-guiding part via the entrance face, and exits the light-guiding part via the exit face. The optics system is configured such that, upon entering the light-guiding part, an outermost chief ray of the light with respect to an optical axis of the optics system is divergent to the optical axis and an outermost marginal ray of the light with respect to the optical axis is parallel or divergent to the optical axis.