Objective To analyze the diagnostic effects of common X-ray and CT on nasal bone fractures. Methods The imaging data of 100 patients with nasal bone fractures who were given X-ray and CT examinations from January 2013 to December 2014 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The images of the two methods were analyzed, and fracture detection, types of fracture detection and diagnostic efficacy of the two methods were analyzed. Results Common X-ray showed there was continuous interruption of cortex in patients with nasal bone fractures, and there was also displacement in some patients but with blurred fracture lines. CT images could clearly observe the continuous interruption and displacement of cortex at nasal bone fractures, and could clearly display fracture line, and CT images could also observe the swelling of soft tissue and the presence of blood shadow. The detection rate of CT for nasal bone fractures was significantly higher than that of common X-ray (98.00% vs 54.00%) (P<0.05). The detection rates of CT for simple fracture, nasal septum fracture, nasal bone confluence fracture and composite fracture were higher than those of common X-ray, and there were significant differences in the detection rates of types of nasal bone fractures between the two methods (P<0.05), and the sensitivity and accuracy of CT in the diagnosis of nasal bone fractures were significantly higher than those of common X-ray (P<0.05) while the specificity was lower than that of common X-ray (P>0.05). Conclusion CT can effectively improve the detection rate of nasal bone fractures and the detection rates of fracture types, and it has high diagnostic efficacy.