Patent ID: 8571281

Claim:
A method for generating a color mapping for a dental object, executed at least in part by a control logic processor, comprising: generating a transformation matrix from a set of spectral reflectance data and a set of image sample measurements for a statistically valid sampling of teeth, the image sample measurements being obtained by directing illumination toward each tooth over at least a first, a second, and a third wavelength band, one wavelength band at a time, and obtaining, from each tooth, at each of a plurality of pixels in a first imaging array, a first image data value corresponding to each of the at least first, second, and third wavelength bands, wherein the set of image sample measurements are obtained at the same locations on said teeth as the set of spectral reflectance data; directing illumination toward the dental object over the at least first, second, and third wavelength band, one wavelength band at a time; obtaining, for each of a plurality of pixels in a second imaging array, a second image data value corresponding to each of the at least first, second, and third wavelength bands; applying the transformation matrix to form the color mapping by generating a set of visual color values for each of the plurality of pixels according to the obtained second image data values and according to third image data values obtained from a reference object at the at least first, second, and third wavelength bands; and transmitting the color mapping or storing the color mapping in a computer-accessible electronic memory.