Fibro-osseous lesions of the maxillofacial bones should be classified based on their radiographic growth pattern. This method can simplify this category of lesions, which have considerable overlapping histologic features. These neoplasms can be grouped into three categories: (a) fibrous dysplasia; (b) ossifying fibroma; (c) and osseous dysplasia. Important lesions in the differential diagnosis are osteoblastoma and giant cell reparative granuloma.