Systems and methods for generating high-resolution three-dimensional topographical measurements using differential interferometry are disclosed. Multiple interferometers transmit coherent light, which may comprise diffraction fringes, along similar optical paths to physical target and reference objects to be measured. The target object may vary in scale, such as a tooth at a smaller scale or a geographic region at a larger scale. An imaging device captures interferograms containing phase information from the target object, the reference object, and various noise sources such as thermal variations, air turbulence, micro-scatterers, external light sources, mechanical vibrations, and electromagnetic interference. Common-mode noise from the interferograms is effectively canceled out, yielding substantially noise-free phase information from the target object that can be processed to produce a three-dimensional target object model. The disclosure is of particular utility with portable instruments since the typical noise sources limiting the use of interferometry outside a controlled environment are largely eliminated.