Abstract: An intraoral scanner comprises one or more structured light projectors and two or more cameras, where each structured light projector projects a pattern of light onto an intraoral three-dimensional (3D) surface and the two or more cameras capture one or more sets of images, wherein each image includes at least a portion of the projected pattern of light. A processor solves a correspondence problem within a set of images of the one or more sets of images such that points in 3D space are determined based on correspondence of captured features in the set of images to projected features of at least the portion of the projected pattern, wherein said points in 3D space form a solution to the correspondence problem. The processor calibrates the intraoral scanner by performing an adjustment to stored calibration data associated with the intraoral scanner based on the solution to the correspondence problem.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for applying to elicit desired tooth movement, e.g., to align teeth, including one or more attachments that each include a base region that may rigidly attach to a tooth, a top region that may couple with an orthodontic appliance, and one or more elastically deformable biases that allows the top region to move relative to the base region force is applied to the top region. The attachment may apply a restoring force to move one or more teeth when the top region is deformed.

Abstract: A method includes positioning projectors in a frame of an intraoral scanner and, responsive to the positioning of the projectors, soldering the projectors to the printed circuit board (PCB) of the intraoral scanner.

Abstract: An intraoral scanner comprises a housing, a light source for generating light, an optics system for focusing the light, a detector for detecting returning light reflected off an intraoral object, and a focus shifting mechanism configured to shift a focal plane of the optics system. The optics system is configured such that, after having passed through the optics system, 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.

Abstract: Apparatuses, including sleeves, intraoral scanning systems to use these sleeves, and methods of using the sleeve. These sleeves may preserve the optical performance of the scanner while also providing a physical protection to the scanner itself, and may cover the entire intraoral scanner (e.g., the wand and/or connecting cable) or only the tip of the scanner (e.g., the wand portion) to prevent contamination.

Abstract: A dental scanning system comprises an intraoral scanner and one or more processors. The intraoral scanner comprises one or more light projectors configured to project a pattern (comprising a plurality of pattern features) on a dental object, and two or more cameras configured to acquire sets of images, each comprising at least one image from each camera. The processor(s) are configured to determine a correspondence between pattern features in the pattern of light and image features in each set of images by determining intersections of projector rays corresponding to one or more of the plurality of pattern features and camera rays corresponding to the one or more image features in three-dimensional (3D) space based on calibration data that associates the camera rays corresponding to pixels on the camera sensor of each of the two or more cameras to the projector rays.

Abstract: An intraoral scanner comprises one or more structured light projectors and two or more cameras, where each structured light projector projects a pattern of light onto an intraoral three-dimensional (3D) surface and the two or more cameras capture one or more sets of images, wherein each image includes at least a portion of the projected pattern of light. A processor solves a correspondence problem within a set of images of the one or more sets of images such that points in 3D space are determined based on correspondence of captured features in the set of images to projected features of at least the portion of the projected pattern, wherein said points in 3D space form a solution to the correspondence problem. The processor calibrates the intraoral scanner by performing an adjustment to stored calibration data associated with the intraoral scanner based on the solution to the correspondence problem.

Abstract: A dental scanning system comprises an intraoral scanner and one or more processors. The intraoral scanner comprises one or more light projectors configured to project a pattern (comprising a plurality of pattern features) on a surface of a dental object, and two or more cameras configured to acquire one or more sets of images, wherein each set of images comprises at least one image from each camera, and wherein each image includes at least a portion of the projected pattern. The processors are configured to determine one or more image features within each set of images, solve a correspondence problem within each set of images such that points in 3D space are determined based on the image features, wherein said points form a solution to the correspondence problem, and wherein the correspondence problem is solved for groups of pattern features, and generate a digital 3D representation of the dental object using the solution to the correspondence problem.

Abstract: An intraoral scanner comprises a light source for generating light, an optics system for focusing the light, and a light-guiding part having an entrance and an exit. 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, and exits the light-guiding part via the exit. 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.

Abstract: An intraoral scanning system comprises and intraoral scanner and a processor. The intraoral scanner comprises one or more cameras and one or more structured light projectors, the intraoral scanner to generate a series of images using the one or more cameras, each image including at least a portion of a pattern projected by the one or more structured light projectors onto an intraoral three-dimensional surface. The processor runs a correspondence algorithm to compute respective three-dimensional positions of a plurality of features of the pattern on the intraoral three-dimensional surface, as captured in the series of images. The processor identifies the computed three-dimensional position of a detected feature of the pattern as corresponding to a particular projector ray r, in at least a subset of the series of images. The processor tracks the particular projector ray r across one or more additional images of the series of images.

Abstract: An intraoral scanning device comprises a housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising a head configured for insertion into an oral cavity of a patient, the head comprising an aperture for transmission of optical signals, a transparent element positioned within the aperture, wherein the transparent element is non-orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and a defogging unit comprising a heating unit. A protective sleeve is configured to cover at least a part of the head and comprises an additional aperture that aligns with the aperture and an additional transparent element in the additional aperture. A gap separates the additional transparent element from the transparent element when the protective sleeve is coupled to the housing. The housing and the protective sleeve are configured such that heat generated by the heating unit is transferred from the heating unit to the additional transparent element despite the gap that separates the additional transparent element from the transparent element.

Abstract: An apparatus for intraoral scanning includes an elongate handheld wand that has a probe. One or more light projectors and two or more cameras are disposed within the probe. The light projectors each has a pattern generating optical element, which may use diffraction or refraction to form a light pattern. Each camera may be configured to focus between 1 mm and 30 mm from a lens that is farthest from the camera sensor. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Removable barrier devices (e.g., sleeves) for covering medical scanning devices to reduce the chance of cross-contamination between patients and/or to protect the scanning devices from physical damage. The barrier device can include a cover that has an integrated window for passing optical signals between the scanning device and an external environment. The cover can include a sleeve that covers a handle portion of the scanning device to prevent contamination of the handle from a user's hand or glove. The cover and sleeve may both be formed of the same flexible material, or the cover may be rigid to maintain the window in a fixed position and the sleeve may be flexible to allow a user to activate a button or touchpad on the handle. An interface region between the cover and sleeve may provide a hermetic seal. The window may include a nanostructured antireflective material to limit internal reflections.

Abstract: Apparatuses, including sleeves, intraoral scanning systems to use these sleeves, and methods of using the sleeve, that authenticate the sleeve for use with an intraoral scanning system. Authentication may include verifying that the sleeve is new (unused) and/or verifying that the sleeve is appropriate and/or intended for use with the intraoral scanning system. Once authenticated, operation parameters of the intraoral scanning system can be automatically set based on information from a scanned identifier on the sleeve.

Abstract: An intraoral scanning device comprises housing comprising a head configured for insertion into a patient oral cavity, the head comprising a sloped surface and an aperture for transmission of optical signals, a transparent element positioned within the aperture, wherein the transparent element is at an acute angle with respect to the sloped surface, and a defogging unit comprising a heating unit. The intraoral scanning device further comprises a protective sleeve configured to cover at least a part of the head when the protective sleeve is coupled to the housing. The protective sleeve comprises an additional aperture that aligns with the aperture and an additional transparent element in the additional aperture.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Removable barrier devices (e.g., sleeves) for covering medical scanning devices to reduce the chance of cross-contamination between patients and/or to protect the scanning devices from physical damage. The barrier device can include a cover that has an integrated window for passing optical signals between the scanning device and an external environment. The cover can include a sleeve that covers a handle portion of the scanning device to prevent contamination of the handle from a user's hand or glove. The cover and sleeve may both be formed of the same flexible material, or the cover may be rigid to maintain the window in a fixed position and the sleeve may be flexible to allow a user to activate a button or touchpad on the handle. An interface region between the cover and sleeve may provide a hermetic seal. The window may include a nanostructured antireflective material to limit internal reflections.

Abstract: Apparatuses, including sleeves, intraoral scanning systems to use these sleeves, and methods of using the sleeve, that authenticate the sleeve for use with an intraoral scanning system. Authentication may include verifying that the sleeve is new (unused) and/or verifying that the sleeve is appropriate and/or intended for use with the intraoral scanning system. Once authenticated, operation parameters of the intraoral scanning system can be automatically set based on information from a scanned identifier on the sleeve.

Abstract: An intraoral scanner comprises a light source for generating light, an optics system for focusing the light, and a light-guiding part having an entrance and an exit. 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, and exits the light-guiding part via the exit. 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.