A method operating an intraoral scanner including a projection device of the intraoral scanner projecting a predetermined pattern, an image capture device of the intraoral scanner capturing K images of the predetermined pattern projected on an object under test, a controller of the intraoral scanner generating (K−1) overall brightness change indications according to (K−1) sets of two consecutive images of the K images, and if the (K−1) overall brightness change indications are all less than a predetermined threshold, the controller turning off the intraoral scanner. K is a positive integer greater than 1.