Patent ID: 8605974

Claim:
An apparatus for imaging a tooth comprising: at least one light source for providing an incident light having a first spectral range for obtaining a reflectance image on the tooth and a second spectral range for exciting a fluorescence image of the tooth; a polarizer in the path of the incident light and disposed to direct light having a first polarization state toward the tooth; an analyzer disposed to direct light obtained from the tooth and having a second polarization state along a return path toward a sensor, wherein the second polarization state is substantially orthogonal to the first polarization state; a lens positioned in the return path to direct image-bearing light from the tooth toward the sensor for obtaining image data from the portion of the light having the second polarization state; and a long-pass filter in the return path, to attenuate light in the second spectral range and to transmit light in the first spectral range.