Apparatus for caries detection
US8270689B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 12, 2006 |
| Grant date | Sep 18, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 20, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/1787
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for obtaining an image of a tooth having at least one light source providing incident light having a first spectral range for obtaining a reflectance image (122) from the tooth and a second spectral range for exciting a fluorescence image (120) from the tooth. A polarizing beamsplitter (18) in the path of the incident light from both sources directs light having a first polarization state toward the tooth and directs light from the tooth having a second polarization state along a return path toward a sensor (68), wherein the second polarization state is orthogonal to the first polarization state. A first lens (22) in the return path directs image-bearing light from the tooth toward the sensor (68), and obtains image data from the portion of the light having the second polarization state. A long-pass filter (15) in the return path attenuates light in the second spectral range.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.