RESUMEN INTRODUCCION: Las lesiones maxilofaciales son una condicion frecuente en diferentes paises, sin embargo, estan asociadas a diversas causas. METODOLOGIA: Un estudio descriptivo fue realizado de Enero de 2001 a Diciembre de 2006 en tres hospitales y una institucion de Pasto, Colombia. 701 pacientes consecutivos del Hospital San Pedro, Hospital Universitario Departamental de Narino, Hospital Infantil Los Angeles, y el de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses Seccional - fueron evaluados. Variables como ano, genero, distribucion anatomica de la fractura, se incluyeron. Analisis descriptivos fueron usados para determinar porcentajes e intervalos de confanza. RESULTADOS: Las causas mas comunes fueron violencia, con 350 (49,9%), accidentes en motos con 104 (14,8%), en autos con 93 (13,3 %), y caidas con 66 (9,4%). Existio un incremento substancial de violencia en los anos 2003 a 2004. Los ninos de 0 a 6 anos presentaron mas caidas, mientras los jovenes de 15 a 24 anos se asociaron con violencia, al igual que accidentes en motos y automoviles. La violencia fue relacionada con fracturas de huesos propios de la nariz, caidas con lesiones naso-orbito-etmoidales, y accidentes en motos y automoviles con politraumatismo y fracturas panfaciales. CONCLUSIONES: Debido a que la violencia, accidentes en motos y automoviles son las principales causas de lesiones maxilofaciales en la juventud, las politicas publicas deben ser dirigidas a esta. Palabras clave: Trauma maxilofacial, accidentes en moto, accidentes en carro, violencia, causas ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Maxillofacial injuries are a frequent condition in different countries; however, they are associated to different causes. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive study was performed from January 2001 to December 2006 at three hospitals and one institution from Pasto, Colombia. 701 consecutive patients at Hospital Los Angeles, Hospital San Pedro, Hospital Universitario Departamental de Narino and Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses Seccional - Putumayo were evaluated. Variables such as year, gender, age, anatomical distribution of fractures were included. Descriptive analyses were used to determine percentages and confdence interval values. RESULTS: The most common causes were violence, which accounted for 350 (49.9%). Motorcycle accidents in 104 (14.8%), car crashes in 93 (13.3 %), and falls in 66 (9.4%) cases. There was a substantial increase of violence as a cause in 2003 to 2004. 0 to 6 year-old children were related to falls, whilst 15 to 24 year-old youngsters were related to violence, as well as motorcycle and car accidents. Violence led to nasal fractures, falls to nasal-orbital-ethmoid injuries, and motorcycle and car accidents to politraumatism and panfacial fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Since violence, motorcycle, and car accidents were the major causes of maxillofacial injuries in youth, the public policies should be addressed to that. Keywords: Maxillofacial fractures, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, violence causes.