Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a surface topography of a patient's teeth may include an optical probe, a light source configured to generate incident light, and focusing optics configured to focus one or more wavelengths of the incident light to a fixed focal position external to the optical probe, wherein the fixed focal position is fixed relative to the optical probe. The apparatus may further include a light sensor configured to measure a characteristic of returned light generated by illuminating the patient's teeth with the incident light and a processing unit operable to determine the surface topography of the patient's teeth based on the measured characteristic of the returned light.

Abstract: An intraoral scanner includes a probe with a sensing face, patterned light sources that are coupled to the probe, un-patterned light sources coupled to the probe, near infrared (NIR) light sources couple to the probe, cameras coupled to the probe, and a processing device coupled to the probe. The processing device is configured to control an operation of the patterned light sources, the un-patterned light sources, and the NIR light sources.

Abstract: A method for generating a 3D image includes driving structured light projector(s) to project a pattern of light on an intraoral 3D surface, and driving camera(s) to capture images, each image including at least a portion of the projected pattern, each one of the camera(s) comprising an array of pixels. A processor compares a series of images captured by each camera and determines which of the portions of the projected pattern can be tracked across the images. The processor constructs a three-dimensional model of the intraoral three-dimensional surface based at least in part on the comparison of the series of images. Other embodiments are also described.

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: In embodiments, a system for scanning an intraoral cavity comprises an intraoral scanner to generate intraoral scan data of the intraoral cavity and viewfinder images of the intraoral cavity, a display, and a processing unit operatively connected to the intraoral scanner and to the display. The processing unit is to: receive the intraoral scan data and the viewfinder images from the intraoral scanner; generate a three-dimensional (3D) digital model of the intraoral cavity using the intraoral scan data; output the 3D digital model to the display; output the viewfinder images to the display; determine which portions of the intraoral cavity have been scanned; determine a current field of view of the intraoral scanner; determine a visual indicator that provides guidance for positioning and orienting the field of view of the intraoral scanner; and output the visual indicator to the display.

Abstract: 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.

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: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system for intraoral scanning includes a display, a processing unit, and a scanner to generate scan data and viewfinder images of an intraoral cavity. The processing unit is to: receive the scan data and the viewfinder images; generate a 3D model of the intraoral cavity using the intraoral scan data; output the 3D model to the display; output the viewfinder images to the display; determine which portions of the intraoral cavity have been scanned; determine a current field of view of the scanner; determine, based on the current field of view and the determined portions of the intraoral cavity that have been scanned, a visual indicator that provides guidance for positioning and orienting the field of view of the scanner; and output the visual indicator to the display.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a probe and an illumination unit configured to output light. The apparatus includes a light focusing assembly comprising an image space lens, an object space lens and a focus changing assembly between the image space lens and the object space lens. The light focusing assembly has at least one of the following properties: 1) at least a portion of the focus changing assembly is located at a back focal length of the object space lens, 2) the light focusing assembly is free of moving parts, or 3) the light focusing assembly comprises double telecentric confocal optics. The apparatus includes a detector to measure characteristics of incident light returning from an illuminated patient's teeth and a processor coupled to the detector and configured to generate data representative of a topography of the patient's teeth based on the one or more measured characteristics of the incident light.

Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses for dental scanning and components of apparatuses for dental scanning. A component of a dental scanning apparatus may include a beam splitter, a transparency and an image sensor. The component may have a first surface and a second surface. The transparency may be affixed to the first surface of the beam splitter, and may comprise a spatial pattern disposed thereon and be configured to be illuminated by a light source of the dental scanning apparatus. The image sensor may be affixed to the second surface of the beam splitter, wherein as a result of the transparency being affixed to the first surface of the beam splitter and the image sensor being affixed to the second surface of the beam splitter, the image sensor maintains a stable relative position to the spatial pattern of the transparency.

Abstract: An apparatus for dental imaging comprises a light source for generating light, an optics system for focusing the light, and a probe head. The light source, the optics system and the probe head are arranged such that the light passes through the optics system, passes through the probe head, and exits the probe head. The optics system is configured such that chief rays of the light before entering the probe head are divergent to each other, wherein an angle defined by a marginal ray of an outermost beam of the light is complementary to an angle defined by an extreme off-axis chief ray of the light with respect to the optical axis.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a probe sized to be at least partially inserted into an intraoral cavity of a patient and an illumination unit configured to output light. The apparatus includes a light focusing assembly comprising an image space lens, an object space lens and a focus changing assembly between the image space lens and the object space lens and being configured to: overlap a plurality of light beams of the light within the light focusing assembly; and focus the light to a plurality of external focal planes to illuminate the patient's teeth. The apparatus includes a detector to measure one or more characteristics of incident light returning from the illuminated patient's teeth and a processor coupled to the detector and configured to generate data representative of a topography of the patient's teeth based on the one or more measured characteristics of the incident light returning from the illuminated patient's teeth.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An apparatus for dental imaging comprises a light source for generating light, an optics system for focusing the light, and a probe head. The light source, the optics system and the probe head are arranged such that the light passes through the optics system, passes through the probe head, and exits the probe head. The optics system is configured such that, upon entering the probe head, 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 apparatus for measuring a surface topography of a patient's teeth may include an optical probe, a light source configured to generate incident light, and focusing optics configured to focus one or more wavelengths of the incident light to a fixed focal position external to the optical probe, wherein the fixed focal position is fixed relative to the optical probe. The apparatus may further include a light sensor configured to measure a characteristic of returned light generated by illuminating the patient's teeth with the incident light and a processing unit operable to determine the surface topography of the patient's teeth based on the measured characteristic of the returned light.

Abstract: A non-transitory medium includes instructions for generating a three-dimensional virtual model of an intraoral object by receiving surface scan data of the intraoral object while changing a position of at least one lens of focusing optics of an intraoral scanner, wherein the surface scan data comprises data for a plurality of points of the intraoral object, and adjusting the data for one or more of the plurality of points to compensate for one or more inaccuracies associated with at least one of a) different temperatures or b) different positions of the at least one lens. A three-dimensional virtual model of the intraoral object is generated using the adjusted data.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for measuring surface topography of a patient's teeth. The apparatus may include an optical probe, a light source configured to generate incident light, and focusing optics configured to focus the incident light to a focal plane external to the optical probe, wherein the focal plane is a diagonal focal plane that is non-orthogonal to a direction of propagation of the incident light. The apparatus may further include a light sensor configured to measure a characteristic of returned light generated by illuminating the patient's teeth with the incident light, and a processing unit operable to determine the surface topography of the patient's teeth based on the measured characteristic of the returned light.