Facial malformations make a wide chapter of maxillofacial abnormalities whose treatment needs an accurate clinical-instrumental analysis to quantify malformation entity and to agree on precise lesion classification and subsequent management. Maxillofacial abnormalities are classified as congenital, growth-related and acquired. Congenital deformities include the alterations present at birth, i.e., craniofacial stenosis, oto-mandibular syndrome. Treacher-Collins and Goldenhar syndrome, facial clefts and lip-palate clefts. Growth-related malformations include the deformities appearing during growth and which are called maxillary dysmorphosis, e.g., hemimandibular hyperplasia, prognathism, maxillary hypoplasia, etc. Acquired malformations are those remaining after trauma or cancer surgery and those which are secondary to fibrous dysplasias of the craniofacial complex. May 1990 through May 1993, forty-two patients with different malformations were examined. The malformations secondary to cancer surgery were not included in our series. A radiologic study including conventional skull radiography, teleradiography and panoramic tomography had been performed for preliminary assessment before axial CT studies and 2D and 3D reconstructions. As for our series, in 20 patients coventional radiology was exhaustive to diagnose the disorder and to supply essential elements for treatment planning while axial CT and 3D reconstructions added no further piece of information. Only in the most complex malformations and in all cases of congenital malformations was axial CT needed to assess the type, extent and entity of the malformations allowing both the diagnosis and adequate surgical planning.