Abstract: Disclosed are liquid vinyl functionalized cage-type polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane modified by low-molecular-weight polysiloxane and a preparation method thereof. Under the catalytic action of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, cage-type octakis (dimethylsiloxy)-T8-silsesquioxane and hetero telechelic polydimethylsiloxane undergo a Piers-Rubinsztajn reaction, to obtain liquid Vi-POSS. Side chains of the liquid vinyl functionalized POSS in the present disclosure are Si—O—Si chain links, have better heat stability than that of common long-carbon-chain side chains, and contain vinyl functional groups capable of participating in chemical reactions, which not only have good mechanical enhancement and heat resistance properties, but also have chemical reactivity.

Abstract: A method for color texture imaging of teeth with a monochrome sensor array obtains a 3-D mesh representing a surface contour image according to image data from views of the teeth. For each view, recording image data generates sets of at least three monochromatic shading images. Each set of the monochromatic shading images is combined to generate 2-D color shading images, corresponding to one of the views. Each polygonal surface in the mesh is assigned to one of a subset of the views. Polygonal surfaces assigned to the same view are grouped into a texture fragment. Image coordinates for the 3-D mesh surfaces in each texture fragment are determined from projection of vertices onto the view associated with the texture fragment. The 3-D mesh is rendered with texture values in the 2-D color shading images corresponding to each texture fragment to generate a color texture surface contour image.

Abstract: A method and system for intra-oral imaging using High Dynamic Range (HDR) and highlight removal is presented. The method comprising generating a first High HDR irradiation map of teeth with multiple images captured with different exposures for same intra-oral scene; and removing highlight caused by a specular reflection in a detail-reserved way from the first HDR irradiation map so as to obtain a second HDR irradiation map in which the specular reflection is at least partly suppressed.

Abstract: A method for color texture imaging of teeth with a monochrome sensor array obtains a 3-D mesh representing a surface contour image according to image data from views of the teeth. For each view, recording image data generates sets of at least three monochromatic shading images. Each set of the monochromatic shading images is combined to generate 2-D color shading images, corresponding to one of the views. Each polygonal surface in the mesh is assigned to one of a subset of the views. Polygonal surfaces assigned to the same view are grouped into a texture fragment. Image coordinates for the 3-D mesh surfaces in each texture fragment are determined from projection of vertices onto the view associated with the texture fragment. The 3-D mesh is rendered with texture values in the 2-D color shading images corresponding to each texture fragment to generate a color texture surface contour image.

Abstract: A system and method for imaging a tooth. The method illuminates the tooth and acquires reflectance image data and illuminates the tooth and acquires fluorescence image data from the tooth. The acquired reflectance and fluorescence image data for the tooth are aligned to form aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data. For one or more pixels of the aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data, at least one feature vector is generated, having data derived from one or both of the aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data. The aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data and the at least one feature vector are processed using one or more trained classifiers obtained from a memory that is in signal communication with the computer. Processing results indicative of tooth condition are displayed.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an intra-oral image, the method executed at least in part by a computer system, emits illumination from an intra-oral camera toward an object that is within the mouth of a patient, then obtains image data content of the object at an image sensor of the intra-oral camera. The image content obtained from the imaging sensor is displayed and one or more movement signals indicative of movement of the intra-oral camera along at least two of three mutually orthogonal axes is obtained. The one or more obtained movement signals are interpreted as an operator instruction corresponding to a predetermined movement pattern. At least the display of the image content is changed according to the operator instruction.

Abstract: In an exemplary method for obtaining a contour image of a tooth, which can be executed at least in part by a computer, movement of an intra-oral camera can be detected by acquiring a first video image frame that includes the tooth and processing the first video image frame to detect one or more edges of the tooth in the first video image frame and acquiring a second video image frame that includes the tooth and processing the second video image frame to detect the one or more edges of the tooth in the second video image frame. The method can compare corresponding edge locations between the first and second processed video image frames and projects a fringe pattern illumination onto the tooth from the camera, capturing and storing one or more still images of the fringe pattern according to the detected camera movement.

Abstract: A method for display of a region of interest of a 3D tooth surface forms a 3D surface model using a number of structured light images, then forms a global texture map for the 3D surface model according to a plurality of reflectance images of the teeth. The 2D image is generated and displayed using the 3D surface model. Pixels in mesh elements of the 2D index image have corresponding surface facets of the 3D surface model. The method describes Identifying and rendering the region of interest in response to viewer instructions.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for automatically identifying caries, executed at least in part on data processing hardware, can acquire, multiple reflectance images of a tooth, wherein each reflectance image includes at least red, green, and blue intensity values for a region of pixels corresponding to the tooth. Each reflectance image in the plurality of reflectance images is processed by (i) defining a tooth region within the reflectance image; and (ii) identifying caries within the defined tooth region for each reflectance image. The reflectance images are registered and the registered processed images are combined to form a result image that shows the identified caries. In one embodiment, multiple reflectance images of a tooth are taken from substantially the same camera position.

Abstract: Method and/or apparatus embodiments for automatically identifying caries, executed at least in part on data processing hardware, can acquire, multiple reflectance images of a tooth, wherein each reflectance image includes at least red, green, and blue intensity values for a region of pixels corresponding to the tooth. Each reflectance image in the plurality of reflectance images is processed by (i) defining a tooth region within the reflectance image; and (ii) identifying caries within the defined tooth region for each reflectance image. The reflectance images are registered and the registered processed images are combined to form a result image that shows the identified caries. In one embodiment, multiple reflectance images of a tooth are taken from substantially the same camera position.

Abstract: A method and system for intra-oral imaging using High Dynamic Range (HDR) and highlight removal is presented. The method comprising generating a first High HDR irradiation map of teeth with multiple images captured with different exposures for same intra-oral scene; and removing highlight caused by a specular reflection in a detail-reserved way from the first HDR irradiation map so as to obtain a second HDR irradiation map in which the specular reflection is at least partly suppressed.

Abstract: A system and method for imaging a tooth. The method illuminates the tooth and acquires reflectance image data and illuminates the tooth and acquires fluorescence image data from the tooth. The acquired reflectance and fluorescence image data for the tooth are aligned to form aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data. For one or more pixels of the aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data, at least one feature vector is generated, having data derived from one or both of the aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data. The aligned reflectance and fluorescence image data and the at least one feature vector are processed using one or more trained classifiers obtained from a memory that is in signal communication with the computer. Processing results indicative of tooth condition are displayed.

Abstract: A method for intraoral imaging obtains a digital image of one or more teeth and detects first and second boundaries. At each of the first and second boundaries, there is calculated a boundary ratio of mean gray-scale values for the tooth area on one side of the boundary to mean gray-scale values for background areas on the other side. The calculated boundary ratios are stored. A third ratio of the mean gray-scale values for the tooth area near the first boundary to the mean gray-scale values for the tooth area near the second boundary is calculated and stored. A vector is formed and stored that contains at least the calculated boundary ratios and the third ratio. The tooth surface is classified as either smooth or occlusal according to the stored vector. The image data is processed according to the classification and processing results are reported.

Abstract: In an exemplary method for obtaining a contour image of a tooth, which can be executed at least in part by a computer, movement of an intra-oral camera can be detected by acquiring a first video image frame that includes the tooth and processing the first video image frame to detect one or more edges of the tooth in the first video image frame and acquiring a second video image frame that includes the tooth and processing the second video image frame to detect the one or more edges of the tooth in the second video image frame. The method can compare corresponding edge locations between the first and second processed video image frames and projects a fringe pattern illumination onto the tooth from the camera, capturing and storing one or more still images of the fringe pattern according to the detected camera movement.