A method for forming a color surface contour image of one or more teeth projects each of a plurality of structured patterns onto the one or more teeth and records image data from the structured pattern onto a monochrome sensor array. Surface contour image data is generated according to the recorded image data from the structured pattern projection. Light of first, second, and third spectral bands is projected onto the one or more teeth and first, second, and third color component image data is recorded on the monochrome sensor array. The first, second, and third color component image data is combined with color calibration data to generate a set of color values for each image pixel. The generated set of color values is assigned to the corresponding pixel in the generated surface contour image data to generate the color surface contour image. The generated color surface contour image is displayed.
