Abstract: Embodiments for estimating a surface texture of a tooth are described herein. One method embodiment includes collecting a sequence of images utilizing multiple light conditions using an intra-oral imaging device and estimating the surface texture of the tooth based on the sequence of images.

Abstract: Methods and systems for scanning an intraoral cavity of a patient provide capturing one or more viewfinder images of the intraoral cavity and scanning the intraoral cavity with an intraoral scanner to generate one or more topography scans of the intraoral cavity. The one or more topography scans may correspond to the one or more viewfinder images. The methods and systems further provide capturing a viewfinder image of a portion of the intraoral cavity, the viewfinder image overlapping with the one or more viewfinder images. An area of overlap of the viewfinder image with the one or more viewfinder images can be determined. One or more indicators of the area of overlap can be displayed on one or more locations of a display in order to provide guidance for positioning a field of view of the intraoral scanner.

Abstract: A method of generating a three-dimensional virtual model of an intraoral object includes capturing, by an imaging apparatus for performing intraoral scans, surface scan data of the intraoral object while changing a position of at least one lens of focusing optics of the imaging apparatus, wherein the surface scan data comprises depth data for a plurality of points of the intraoral object. The method further includes adjusting the depth data for one or more of the plurality of points based at least in part on a value associated with a temperature of at least a portion of the imaging apparatus. The method further includes generating the three-dimensional virtual model of the intraoral object using the adjusted depth data.

Abstract: A method of generating a three-dimensional virtual model of an intraoral object includes capturing, by an imaging apparatus for performing intraoral scans, surface scan data of the intraoral object while changing a position of at least one lens of focusing optics of the imaging apparatus, wherein the surface scan data comprises depth data for a plurality of points of the intraoral object. The method further includes adjusting the depth data for one or more of the plurality of points based at least in part on a value associated with a temperature of at least a portion of the imaging apparatus. The method further includes generating the three-dimensional virtual model of the intraoral object using the adjusted depth data.

Abstract: A processing device receives a first virtual 3D model and a second virtual 3D model, each comprising one or more teeth of a patient. The processing device compares the first virtual 3D model to the second virtual 3D model and determines, as a result of the comparing, a difference between the first virtual 3D model and the second virtual 3D model at a dental site comprising a tooth of the one or more teeth. The processing device determines whether the difference comprises a first type of change to the tooth that is indicative of tooth wear or a second type of change to the tooth that is indicative of tooth movement associated with orthodontic treatment. Responsive to determining that the first difference comprises the first type of change to the first tooth, the processing device generates a first indicator of the tooth wear for the tooth.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods and systems for scanning an intraoral cavity of a patient provide capturing one or more viewfinder images of the intraoral cavity and scanning the intraoral cavity with an intraoral scanner to generate one or more topography scans of the intraoral cavity. The one or more topography scans may correspond to the one or more viewfinder images. The methods and systems further provide capturing a viewfinder image of a portion of the intraoral cavity, the viewfinder image overlapping with the one or more viewfinder images. An area of overlap of the viewfinder image with the one or more viewfinder images can be determined. One or more indicators of the area of overlap can be displayed on one or more locations of a display in order to provide guidance for positioning a field of view of the intraoral scanner.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for measuring surface topography of a three-dimensional structure. In many embodiments, the apparatus is configured to focus each of a plurality of light beams to a respective fixed focal position relative to the apparatus. The apparatus measures a characteristic of each of a plurality of returned light beams that are generated by illuminating the three-dimensional structure with the light beams. The characteristic is measured for a plurality of different positions and/or orientations between the apparatus and the three-dimensional structure. Surface topography of the three-dimensional structure is determined based at least in part on the measured characteristic of the returned light beams for the plurality of different positions and/or orientations between the apparatus and the three-dimensional structure.

Abstract: Processing logic makes a comparison between first image data and second image data of a dental arch and determines a plurality of spatial differences between a first representation of the dental arch in the first image data and a second representation of the dental arch in the second image data. The processing logic determines that a first spatial difference is attributable to scanner inaccuracy and that a second spatial difference is attributable to a clinical change to the dental arch. The processing logic generates a third representation of the dental arch that is a modified version of the second representation, wherein the first spatial difference is removed in the third representation, and wherein the third representation comprises a visual enhancement that accentuates the second spatial difference.

Abstract: A method of generating a three-dimensional virtual model of an intraoral object includes capturing, by an imaging apparatus for performing intraoral scans, surface scan data of the intraoral object while changing a position of at least one lens of focusing optics of the imaging apparatus, wherein the surface scan data comprises depth data for a plurality of points of the intraoral object. The method further includes adjusting the depth data for one or more of the plurality of points based at least in part on the position of the at least one lens associated with the depth data for the one or more of the plurality of points. The method further includes generating the three-dimensional virtual model of the intraoral object using the adjusted depth data.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an imaging apparatus, which in an embodiment includes a light source to provide light, optics, a translation mechanism and a detector. The optics include focusing optics to perform focusing of the light onto a non-flat focal surface and to direct the light toward a three dimensional object. The translation mechanism adjusts a location of at least one lens of the focusing optics to displace the non-flat focal surface. The detector measures intensities of returning light that is reflected off of the three dimensional object, wherein the intensities of the returning light are measured for a plurality of locations of the at least one lens for determination of positions of a plurality of points of the three dimensional object. Detected positions of one or more of the plurality of points are adjusted to compensate for the non-flat focal surface.

Abstract: The current document is directed to methods and systems that provide semi-automated and automated training to technicians who use oral-cavity-imaging-and-modeling systems to accurately and efficiently generate three-dimensional models of patients' teeth and underlying tissues. The training methods and systems are implemented either as subsystems within oral-cavity-imaging-and-modeling systems or as separate system in electronic communication oral-cavity-imaging-and-modeling systems. The training methods and systems use an already generated, digital, three-dimensional model of a portion of the oral cavity of a particular patient or of a physical model of a portion of an oral cavity to compute a temporal, translational, and rotational trajectory of an oral-cavity-imaging-and-modeling endoscope, or wand, during a training scan. The temporal, translational, and rotational trajectory is used for a variety of different types of instruction and instructional feedback to facilitate training of technicians.

Abstract: Processing logic makes a comparison between first image data and second image data of a dental arch and determines a plurality of spatial differences between a first representation of the dental arch in the first image data and a second representation of the dental arch in the second image data. The processing logic determines that a first spatial difference is attributable to scanner inaccuracy and that a second spatial difference is attributable to a clinical change to the dental arch. The processing logic generates a third representation of the dental arch that is a modified version of the second representation, wherein the first spatial difference is removed in the third representation, and wherein the third representation comprises a visual enhancement that accentuates the second spatial difference.

Abstract: Methods and systems for scanning an intraoral cavity of a patient provide capturing one or more viewfinder images of the intraoral cavity and scanning the intraoral cavity with an intraoral scanner to generate one or more topography scans of the intraoral cavity. The one or more topography scans may correspond to the one or more viewfinder images. The methods and systems further provide capturing a viewfinder image of a portion of the intraoral cavity, the viewfinder image overlapping with the one or more viewfinder images. An area of overlap of the viewfinder image with the one or more viewfinder images can be determined. One or more indicators of the area of overlap can be displayed on one or more locations of a display in order to provide guidance for positioning a field of view of the intraoral scanner.

Abstract: The example systems, methods, and/or computer-readable media described herein help with design treatment plans for orthodontic treatments. Treatment templates expressed according to treatment domain-specific protocols may be processed to provide treatment planning software, including automated or real-time treatment planning software, that accommodates treatment preferences of a practitioner and/or patient data relevant to a treatment plan. These methods and systems may be also be useful for planning, designing and producing as series of dental appliances (e.g., aligners).

Abstract: The example systems, methods, and/or computer-readable media described herein help with design treatment plans for orthodontic treatments. Treatment templates expressed according to treatment domain-specific protocols may be processed to provide treatment planning software, including automated or real-time treatment planning software, that accommodates treatment preferences of a practitioner and/or patient data relevant to a treatment plan. These methods and systems may be also be useful for planning, designing and producing as series of dental appliances (e.g., aligners).

Abstract: The example systems, methods, and/or computer-readable media described herein help with design treatment plans for orthodontic treatments. Treatment templates expressed according to treatment domain-specific protocols may be processed to provide treatment planning software, including automated or real-time treatment planning software, that accommodates treatment preferences of a practitioner and/or patient data relevant to a treatment plan. These methods and systems may be also be useful for planning, designing and producing as series of dental appliances (e.g., aligners).

Abstract: A method of generating a three-dimensional virtual model of an intraoral object includes capturing, by an imaging apparatus for performing intraoral scans, surface scan data of the intraoral object while changing a position of at least one lens of focusing optics of the imaging apparatus, wherein the surface scan data comprises depth data for a plurality of points of the intraoral object. The method further includes adjusting the depth data for one or more of the plurality of points based at least in part on the position of the at least one lens associated with the depth data for the one or more of the plurality of points. The method further includes generating the three-dimensional virtual model of the intraoral object using the adjusted depth data.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an imaging apparatus, which in an embodiment includes a light source to provide light, optics, a translation mechanism and a detector. The optics include focusing optics to perform focusing of the light onto a non-flat focal surface and to direct the light toward a three dimensional object. The translation mechanism adjusts a location of at least one lens of the focusing optics to displace the non-flat focal surface. The detector measures intensities of returning light that is reflected off of the three dimensional object, wherein the intensities of the returning light are measured for a plurality of locations of the at least one lens for determination of positions of a plurality of points of the three dimensional object. Detected positions of one or more of the plurality of points are adjusted to compensate for the non-flat focal surface.