Abstract: An optical coherence tomography scanner for imaging an intraoral sample has a wavelength-tunable light source configured to generate scanning light having a range of wavelengths and a scanning probe having a scanning head. A light circulator is configured to direct the scanning light to a first sample arm having at least a first optical fiber for conveying light to the sample, to direct a sample signal, having scattered and reflected light from the sample, back from the first optical fiber, to a detector, and to direct a reference signal, having light reflected back along the first optical fiber from a partially reflective surface at the scanning head, to the detector. The detector forms a digital output signal indicative of interference of the combined sample and reference signals. A display is configured to form an image of sample features according to the digital output signal.

Abstract: An optical coherence tomography scanner for imaging a sample has a wavelength-tunable light source configured to generate scanning light having a range of wavelengths and a scanning probe having a scanning head and one or more optical channels that convey light to and from the scanning head. Each channel has a sample arm with optical fibers for conveying scanning light to the sample and conveying scattered and back-reflected light from the sample to a detector; a reference arm with optical fibers conveying reference light from the wavelength-tunable light source; an optical fiber or fiber system that defines an optical path distance for the sample or reference arm; a detector that generates an output signal according to combined light from the sample arm and conveyed reference light; and a digitizer to generate digital data according to the detector output signal and to communicate the generated digital data to a computer.