The alveolar bone consists of lamina dura, cortical bone and cancellous bone. Healthy alveolar bone is conducive to maintaining the integrity of dentition. If the integrity of alveolar bone is destroyed, it will lead to the decrease of masticatory function and masticatory efficiency, resulting in the damage of oral and maxillofacial system stability. Bone dehiscence and fenestration are common forms of alveolar bone defects, and it is important to evaluate alveolar bone defects before dental treatment. With the development of imaging technology and the emergence of cone beam CT (CBCT), imaging technology has realized the transformation from two-dimensional plane to three-dimensional space, which can more clearly and stereoscopically present the anatomic relationship between teeth and teeth, teeth and jaw, and is conducive to improving the diagnostic accuracy for bone dehiscence and fenestration in natural population. This article mainly reviews the research progress of alveolar bone dehiscence and fenestration based on cone beam CT, in order to provide reference and guidance for more perfect orthodontics and implant treatment in clinic.