Gaten Matarazzo’s Health: His Battle with Cleidocranial Dysplasia and How It Affects His Teeth

Gaten Matarazzo21 years old, he became famous after starring in the Netflix show Strange things and took over the role of Dustin Henderson in 2016. Over the years, he has appeared in other projects, including Honor Society, Prank Meetings, Christmas Chroniclesand more. More recently she has been working on Sweeney Todd On Broadway. The 21-year-old took to Instagram in February 2023 to discuss his role in producing hit music. “’He IS definitely pretty damaged, but seriously. You are in a state of great desire not only for attention, but for some form of love. @gatenm123 on Tobias Ragg’s motivations as a character. #InTheChair,” he captioned the joint publication with the production’s Instagram.

In addition to his work on Broadway and Netflix, Gaten has also made headlines for being open about his health. Over the years, he has spoken openly about his battle with cleidocranial dysplasia on his official Instagram account and has even documented the surgeries he has undergone. He reads on to learn more about Gaten’s rare health disorder below.

Gaten Matarazzo diagnosed with cleidocranial dysplasia

The rising star has lived with cleidocranial dysplasia since birth, meaning he has been living with this rare disease for more than two decades. She spoke about his condition during a 2018 interview on Doctors, where he said he was born without a collarbone. “I think what the Duffer brothers, the directors of the show, really wanted to do was make sure that every character on the show was unique and had something realistic and personal about it,” he said of Strange things.

When Gaten revealed her condition to the producers, they decided to include her in the series. “When they found out I had the disease… they liked how I told them and once I got the role, they said they would incorporate it and use it in a realistic way,” she explained. He also said that the directors noticed that he would stretch and that his shoulders would “touch” when he did so. It was then that he announced that he had been born without a collarbone. Gaten’s character was bullied on the show because he was “cool” and “realistic.”

What is cleidocranial dysplasia?

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is known as a genetic condition that affects the teeth and bones, reports Johns Hopkins Medicine. The condition is considered rare because it affects one in a million people, according to the health organization’s website. CCD also affects the skull, face, spine, collarbones, and legs. People with CCD may have “differently shaped” or more fragile bones. As with Gaten, the clavicles may also be absent in people with CCD.

Doctors usually diagnose CCD using X-rays, the RUNX2 gene mutation test, or a scan. There are many treatment options for people with CCD, however they can vary from case to case. Some treatments include: orthopedic surgery, facial and dental reconstructive procedures.

How long has Gaten Matarazzo been ill?

See this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gaten Matarazzo (@gatenm123)

As previously mentioned, Gaten was born with CCD and has been dealing with the disease for over 20 years. In recent years, Gaten has opened up about his surgery for his illness via an Instagram post on January 29, 2020. “Surgery number 4! This is a big deal! To learn more about cleidocranial dysplasia and how to help people with this condition, visit ccdsmiles.org,” he captioned the pre-procedure selfie.

How is Gaten Matarazzo today?

See this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gaten Matarazzo (@gatenm123)

Two days later, Gaten returned to social media to update his fans on the success of the surgery and shed some light on CCD. “Although my expression in this photo may not show it, the surgery was a complete success. This one was so great it might be the last one I need. At least with a little luck,” he explained in the long caption.

“Those who suffer from cleidocranial dysplasia often have supernumerary teeth, which are extra teeth that grow inside the gums. “I have had multiple surgeries to remove these teeth from my gums and expose teeth that should have grown in by now considering my age,” she continued. “In this surgery, the team of incredible medical professionals removed 14 supernumerary teeth and exposed six of my permanent teeth. I was unconscious for four hours. My recovery over the last few days has been excellent and I can’t thank the team who performed the surgery enough. Thank you all for your kind wishes and prayers. It means a lot. Again, if you want to learn more about cleidocranial dysplasia, you can visit ccdsmiles.org. Thanks again to everyone.”