Method and apparatus for colour imaging a three-dimensional structure

A method for determining surface topology and associated color of an intraoral structure, the method comprising:

• illuminating the intraoral structure with white light;
• capturing depth image data and color image data of the structure portion using an image sensor of an imaging device, wherein the capturing occurs within a time interval between about 0 seconds and bout 20 milliseconds and includes scanning a focal plane of the imaging device over a range of depths;
• generating, using the imaging device and the depth image data, depth data of the intraoral structure corresponding to a first spatial disposition of the imaging device relative to the intraoral structure;
• generating, using the imaging device and the color image data, color data of the intraoral structure corresponding to a second spatial disposition of the imaging device relative to the intraoral structure;
• and
• providing, using the processors, a color three-dimensional numerical entity based on the depth data and the color data.

A system for determining surface topology and associated color of an intraoral structure, the system comprising:

• a handheld imaging device comprising a probe, focusing optics configured to scan a focal plane of the handheld imaging device over a range of depths, an illuminator, and an image sensor configured to capture depth image data over the range of depths and color image data of the intraoral structure within an intraoral cavity of a patient, and further configured to capture the depth image data and the color image data at the same angle and orientation with respect to the intraoral structure portion;
• and
• one or more processors operably coupled to the imaging device, the one or more processors configured to cause the system to:
• generate depth data of the intraoral structure portion using the depth image data from the imaging device,
• generate color data of the intraoral structure using the color image data from the imaging device, and
• provide a color three-dimensional numerical entity based on the depth data and the color data.

A method for determining surface topology and associated color of an intraoral structure, the method comprising:

• illuminating the intraoral structure;
• scanning a focus of a handheld imaging device at a plurality of focal planes of a range of distances;
• capturing depth image data and color image data of the structure portion over the range of distances using an image sensor of the handheld imaging device, wherein the capturing of the depth image data and the color image data occurs at the same first angle and orientation with respect to the intraoral structure;
• generating, using the imaging device and the depth image data, the depth data at the first angle and orientation with respect to the intraoral structure;
• generating, using the imaging device and the color image data, the color data at the first angle and orientation with respect to the intraoral structure;
• and
• providing, using the processors, a color three-dimensional numerical entity based on the depth data and the color data.