Patent ID: 9414750
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: A61B,A61C

Claim Text:
1. A dental imaging system, comprising: an interrogation optical scanner configured to scan an optical interrogation beam across at least a portion of a tooth by varying positions at which the optical interrogation beam strikes a surface of the tooth, wherein the optical interrogation beam is substantially transmissible into the tooth so as to produce a dentally modulated optical flux exiting the interior of the tooth; an optical detection system that includes at least one photodetector situated to receive diffuse light associated with the dentally modulated optical flux from an exit surface area of the tooth along a plurality of directions that are not co-linear with the optical interrogation beam, wherein the at least one photodetector is configured to remain substantially fixedly optically coupled to the exit surface area of the tooth during the scan of the optical interrogation beam, the optical detection system configured to produce at least one direct detection signal associated with the diffuse light received from the tooth; and a signal processor coupled to receive the at least one direct detection signal and produce picture information associated with the tooth based on the at least one direct detection signal and position information derived from the positions of the optical interrogation beam.