Patent ID: 7668355

Claim:
A method for forming an enhanced image of a tooth comprising: a) obtaining fluorescence image data from the tooth by: (i) directing first incident light towards the tooth; (ii) sensing fluorescent emission from the tooth; (iii) storing a fluorescence image data value for each pixel position in the fluorescence image; b) obtaining reflectance image data from the tooth by: (i) directing second incident light towards the tooth; (ii) sensing back-scattered reflectance light from the tooth; (iii) storing a reflectance image data value for each pixel position in the reflectance image; c) combining each pixel in the fluorescence image data with its corresponding pixel in the reflectance image data by: (i) subtracting an offset to the reflectance image data value to generate an offset reflectance image data value; (ii) computing an enhanced image data value according to a difference between the fluorescence image data value and the offset reflectance image data value; and whereby the enhanced image is formed from a resulting pixel array of enhanced image data values.