Three-dimensional dental imaging method and apparatus having a reflective member
AssigneeGenex Technologies, Inc.
InventorZ. Jason Geng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intra-oral imaging system that produces images of a dental surface includes a probe that contains an optical conduit for transmitting light with spatially varying wavelengths for illuminating a dental surface and a camera for receiving light rays reflected from the dental surface. The invention also includes a concave reflector used in conjunction with the probe to increase the field-of-view of the camera, allowing optical coverage of the entire surface of a tooth in a single image.
Claims35
An intra-oral imaging system comprising:
- an optical conduit;
- a light source generating light rays that are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
- a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface;
- a reflector that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point;
- and
- an imager for receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface and for forming a three-dimensional image of said dental surface.
An intra-oral imaging system comprising:
- an optical conduit;
- a light source generating light rays that are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
- a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths;
- a reflector that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point;
- an imager for receiving said light rays when they are reflected from said dental surface;
- a second optical conduit for transmitting diverging white light for illuminating said dental surface;
- and
- a switch for selecting between said optical conduit and said second optical conduit.
An intra-oral imaging system comprising:
- an optical conduit;
- a light source generating light rays that are transmitted through said optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
- an imager for receiving said light rays when they are reflected from said dental surface;
- a device for converting said light rays into radiation illumination with spatially varying wavelengths;
- a second optical conduit for transmitting diverging white light for illuminating said dental surface;
- and
- a switch for selecting between said optical conduit and said second optical conduit;
- and
- a concave reflector that directs the light rays from said light source to a selected point.
A method for imaging intra-oral structures, said method comprising:
- transmitting light through an optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
- converting said light rays into radiation with spatially varying wavelengths prior to illuminating said dental surface;
- and
- receiving said light rays when said light rays are reflected from said dental surface to form a three-dimensional image of said dental surface.
A method of imaging intra-oral structures, said method comprising
- transmitting light rays through an optical conduit to illuminate a dental surface;
- converting said light rays into radiation with spatially varying wavelengths;
- transmitting diverging white light for illuminating said dental surface thorough a second optical conduit;
- selectively alternating between illuminating said dental surface with radiation with spatially varying wavelengths from said optical conduit and light from said second optical conduit;
- and
- receiving said radiation with spatially varying wavelengths and said white light when said radiation or white light is reflected from said dental surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.