Intraoral scanner, intraoral scanning system, method for performing intraoral scans and computer program product

An intraoral scanning system for generating a three-dimensional model of a dentition based on active stereo vision comprising:

• an intraoral scanner having a projector for projecting a structured pattern onto the dentition to be three dimensionally modelled, the projector having a radiation source emitting a beam and optics for generating the structured pattern from the radiation emitted from the radiation source, and at least two cameras for imaging the pattern projected on the object, the cameras being arranged for having an overlapping field of view on the object, wherein the pattern is a non-periodic dot pattern generated by a two-dimensional array of microlenses arranged on a substrate in a non-periodic manner, and the array of microlenses is the last beam shaping optical element before the object, wherein each camera generates a series of images of the patterns projected onto the dentition, and
• a data processing unit connected to the intraoral scanner for generating the three-dimensional model of the dentition based on disparity maps formed by means of a synchronized series of images generated by each camera.

A method for generating a three-dimensional model of a dentition based on active stereo vision, comprising:

• retrieving a series of images of the dentition from an intraoral scanner having a projector for projecting a structured pattern onto the dentition to be three dimensionally modelled, the projector having a radiation source emitting a beam and optics for generating the structured pattern from the radiation emitted from the radiation source, and at least two cameras for imaging the pattern projected on the object, the cameras being arranged for having an overlapping field of view on the object, wherein the pattern is a non-periodic dot pattern generated by a two-dimensional array of microlenses arranged on a substrate in a non-periodic manner, and the array of microlenses is the last beam shaping optical element before the object;
• using a data processing unit connected to the intraoral scanner for generating the three-dimensional model of the dentition based on disparity maps formed by the series of images generated by each camera.

A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions that when executed by the computer generate a three-dimensional model of a dentition by the following steps:

• retrieving a series of images of the dentition from an intraoral scanner having a projector for projecting a structured pattern onto the dentition, the projector having a radiation source emitting a beam and optics for generating the structured pattern from the beam, and at least two cameras for imaging the structured pattern projected onto the dentition, the at least two cameras being arranged for having an overlapping field of view on the dentition, wherein the structured pattern is a non-periodic dot pattern generated by a two-dimensional array of microlenses arranged on a substrate in a non-periodic manner, and the array of microlenses is the last beam shaping optical element before the dentition;
• generating the three-dimensional model of the dentition based on disparity maps formed by the series of images generated by each camera.