Method and apparatus for imaging three-dimensional structure

1. A method for determining surface topology of a portion of a three-dimensional structure, comprising:

(a) providing an array of incident light beams propagating in an optical path leading through a focusing optics and through a probing face; the focusing optics defining one or more focal planes forward said probing face in a position changeable by said optics, each light beam having its focus on one of said one or more focal plane; the beams generating a plurality of illuminated spots on the structure;

(b) detecting intensity of returned light beams propagating from each of these spots along an optical path opposite to that of the incident light;

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times, each time changing position of the focal plane relative to the structure;

(d) for each of the illuminated spots, determining a spot-specific position, being the position of the respective focal plane yielding a maximum measured intensity of a respective returned light beam; and

(e) generating data representative of the topology of said portion.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of incident light beams are produced by splitting a single parent beam.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises polarizing the incident light beams.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein step (b) comprises filtering light having polarization same as the incident light and measuring light of opposite polarization.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of said beams is composed of at least two light components different in at least one parameter.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of wavelength, phase, light pulse duration and pattern.

7. The method according to claim 5 , comprising in step (b), determining intensity independently for each of said at least two light components in the return light beams.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein each of said at least two light components focuses in a plane differently distanced from the sensing surface.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data representative of said topology is used for constructing an object to be fitted within said structure.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data representative of said topology is converted into a form transmissible through a communication medium to recipient.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said structure is a teeth segment.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said structure is a teeth segment with at least one missing tooth or a portion of a tooth and said object is said at least one missing tooth or the portion of the tooth.

13. A method for reconstruction of topology of a three-dimensional structure comprising:

i. determining surface topologies from at least two different positions or angular locations relative to the structure, by the method defined in claim 1 ;

ii. combining the surface topologies to obtain data representative of said structure.

14. The method according to claim 13 , for reconstruction of topology of a teeth portion, comprising:

determining surface topologies of at least a buccal surface and a lingual surface of the teeth portion;

combining the surface topologies to obtain data representative of a three-dimensional structure of said teeth portion.

15. The method according to claim 14 , for obtaining data representative of a three-dimensional structure of a teeth portion with at least one missing tooth or a portion of a tooth.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said data is used in a process of designing or manufacturing of a prostheses of said at least one missing tooth or a portion of a tooth.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said prostheses is a crown or a bridge.