What is the most common congenital malformation of the head and neck region?

D. Unilateral cleft lip is the most common congenital malformation of the head and neck. Cleft lip occurs when the maxillary prominences fail to fuse with the medial nasal prominences and when the underlying somitomeric mesoderm and neural crest fail to proliferate, resulting in a persistent labial groove. Cleft lip occurs in 1 of 900 births and may be unilateral or bilateral.