Optical coherence tomography imaging
A digitized image of an object may include representations of portions of the object that are obscured, occluded or otherwise unobservable. The image may be a multi-dimensional visual representation of dentition. Characteristics of the dentition and its surfaces, contours, and shape may be determined and/or analyzed. A light may be directed toward and reflected from the dentition. The reflected light may be combined with a reference to determine characteristics of the dentition, including obscured areas such as subgingival tissue.
1. A method of imaging a dental object, comprising:
obtaining a digitizer comprising:
a light source configured to generate a beam of structured light;
a reference arm configured to generate a reference beam of light based on the beam of structured light;
a projector configured to project the beam of structured light toward an object and to detect a reflection of at least a portion of the beam, the beam being projected toward the object as a dot that traverses a two dimensional (2D) pattern across a three dimensional outer surface of the object to generate reflection data representing the three dimensional outer surface of the object;
a coupler configured to combine the reference beam and the reflection to generate a superimposed interference light pattern; and
a processor configured to generate a dataset representative of the three dimensional outer surface of the object based on the superimposed interference light pattern and the reflection data; and
utilizing the digitizer to project a beam of structured light toward the dental object, detect a reflection of at least a portion of the beam projected toward the dental object, and generate a dataset representative of a three dimensional outer surface of the dental object.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dental object is an in vivo dentition.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the in vivo dentition is one or more of a tooth, intra-oral tissue, a preparation, a restoration, and a dental arch.
4. A method of imaging a dental object, comprising:
generating a beam of structured light from a light source;
generating a reference beam of light based on the beam of structure light;
projecting the beam of structured light toward the dental object, the beam being projected toward the dental object as a dot that traverses a two dimensional pattern across a three dimensional outer surface of the dental object;
detecting a reflection of at least a portion of the beam from the dental object to generate reflection data representing the three dimensional outer surface of the dental object;
combining the reference beam and the reflection to generate a superimposed interference light pattern; and
generating a dataset representative of the three dimensional outer surface of the dental object based on the superimposed interference light pattern and the reflection data.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the beam of structured light is projected toward the dental object by a projector sized and shaped for use within an oral cavity.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dental object is an in vivo dentition.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reference beam is generated as a time-varying baseline pattern and the dataset is generated according to time domain data processing.
8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: generating a signal representative of the superimposed interference light pattern.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the signal comprises a shape, distribution, and composition of the superimposed interference light pattern.
10. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
separating the superimposed interference light pattern into constituent components; and
detecting the constituent components using a photosensor.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reference beam is generated as a fixed reference baseline pattern.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the photosensor comprises an array of light sensitive detectors.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the photosensor comprises a charge coupled device.
14. The method of claim 4 , wherein the dataset is generated according to Fourier domain data processing.
15. The method of claim 4 , further comprising splitting the beam of structured light into a first beam and a second beam.
16. The method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying a visual representation of at least a portion of the three dimensional outer surface of the dental object on a display.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the visual representation utilizes geometrical modeling using colors and shadings to give the visual representation a realistic appearance.