Patent ID: 7702139

Claim:
An apparatus for imaging a tooth comprising: (a) at least one light source providing 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; (b) a polarizing beamsplitter in a path of the incident light, the polarizing beamsplitter directing light having a first polarization state toward the tooth and directing light from the tooth having a second polarization state along a return path toward a sensor, wherein the second polarization state is orthogonal to the first polarization state; (c) 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; (d) 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; and (e) control logic for enabling the sensor to obtain either the fluorescence image or the reflectance image, wherein the fluorescence or reflectance image is live video or still capture.