A method is provided for coding a source mesh (M) representing a three-dimensional object or a scene, using a simple mesh (M.sub.0) having a limited number of facets, each defined by vertices and edges, and coefficients in a base of wavelets, corresponding to local modifications of the simple mesh (M.sub.0), and making it possible, at each instant, to determine a function of parameterization of the mesh. The method includes a step to eliminate the effect of at least one wavelet coefficient (d; d1, . . . , dn) verifying at least one criterion of non-essentiality, so as to give a partial mesh (M'), corresponding to a partial representation of the source mesh (M).