Stranger Things made him famous, but his real battle was medical: Gaten Matarazzo on living with Cleidocranial Dysplasia

Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s most expensive and popular series with a budget of Rs 4,220 crore (around $470 million), stars Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, David Harbour, Charlie Heaton, Winona Ryder, and Gaten Matarazzo. Its latest finale has taken India by storm, cementing the series as a global phenomenon.

Among the cast, Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson, has emerged as a fan favourite. While his character’s humour and friendship with Steve stand out, another reason for his popularity is how he embraces his real-life genetic condition, both on and off-screen.

Like Dustin, Gaten Was Born With Cleidocranial Dysplasia

Many fans might not know that Gaten Matarazzo was born with Cleidocranial Dysplasia (CCD), a rare genetic condition affecting bones and teeth. While Dustin Henderson does not officially have CCD in the series, Gaten’s personal experience with the condition influenced parts of his character.


As per a NDTV report, Gaten has expressed gratitude to the Duffer Brothers, creators of Stranger Things, for portraying his condition sensitively.

In an interview, he said, "I think what the Duffer brothers wanted to make sure was each character in the show was unique. They had something realistic and personal. They wanted unique characters that were relatable and were different."

He also shared that he explained his condition to the creators, who then asked if it would be okay for Dustin to be bullied for missing teeth, a scenario Gaten agreed was “realistic.”

What Is Cleidocranial Dysplasia?

As per Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cleidocranial Dysplasia is a rare genetic disorder that affects teeth and bones of the legs, collarbones, face, skull, and spine. Individuals with CCD often have bones that are differently formed, sometimes fragile, or even absent.

The name itself gives insight into the condition: cleido refers to collarbones, while cranial refers to the skull. Therefore, the main symptoms include skull, collarbone, and dental abnormalities.

How CCD Affects Gaten Matarazzo

According to Health Insights, Gaten was born without collarbones. Speaking about living with the condition, he said,

"My experience with cleidocranial dysplasia has been pretty good, honestly. I have a very mild case of it, and it hasn't really caused me to be bullied or anything. It has benefited me in many ways because it's basically started my acting career."

Gaten explained how CCD impacts him physically, mentioning height, teeth, and his youthful appearance, but emphasised that he hopes to act in roles not linked to the condition:

"Hopefully, I can evolve from that, and not just get roles because of the condition. I can play parts that don't have physical disabilities or anything like that. I can play someone who isn't associated with the condition."

He has also used his platform to raise awareness about CCD, particularly regarding dental health: "Teeth will not come in on their own, and it's not just a matter of waiting because if you wait too long, the teeth could fuse to the jaw and you could never have your own teeth, and then you would have to get implants. I need people, and specifically doctors, to understand that it needs to be done through appliances and through medical procedures and not just time."

Dustin’s Teeth and Gaten’s CCD Journey

Fans might recall that Dustin was missing a few teeth in the first season of Stranger Things. This detail mirrored Gaten’s real-life condition.

In February 2020, he shared that he had undergone major surgery to correct his dental issues, explaining: "I've had several surgeries to extract these teeth from within my gums and help expose the teeth that should have already grown in, considering my age."

He further elaborated that the procedure involved extracting 14 supernumerary teeth and exposing six adult teeth, highlighting the complexity of managing CCD.

Inputs from agencies