Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo reports his fourth surgery for cleidocranial dysplasia was a “complete success.” The 17-year-old actor, best known for his role as Dustin Henderson on the hit Netflix series, previously called his latest surgery a “big one.” According to CCD Smiles, partnered with Matarazzo, cleidocranial dysplasia, or CCD, is “a skeletal disorder characterized by open fontanelles (soft spot), small or absent clavicles (collarbones), and multiple dental abnormalities.” The genetic birth defect is caused by mutations to the RUNX2 gene and can be a random mutation or passed from an affected parent. CCD occurs only one in every one million births.
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Sharing a post-surgery update on Instagram Friday, Matarazzo said his fourth surgery is “hopefully” his last.
“Those who suffer from Cleidocranial Dysplasia usually have Supernumerary teeth, which are extra teeth that grow in the gums. 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,” reads Matarazzo’s post, which has received more than 1.6. million likes. “In this surgery, the team of amazing medical professionals extracted 14 supernumerary teeth and exposed six of my adult teeth. I was under for four hours. My recovery for the past few days has been great and I can’t thank the team that did the surgery enough. Thank you all for your kind wishes and prayers. It means a lot.”
Matarazzo then directed fans to the CCD Smiles website, a nonprofit organization aimed to assist and support people with CCD. The star will next return for the eight-episode Stranger Things 4, reportedly expected to film through August.
“It’s really hard to say because I don’t really know where the characters are going. He’s flapping in the wind at this point,” Matarazzo recently told Variety when asked what’s next for Dustin following his tight-knit group of friends mostly going their separate ways. “At the end of the season, all the kids are divided because everyone moves away from Hawkins. Eleven goes with Will and Joyce to go try and find some type of peace and the rest of the gang stays behind. I don’t necessarily know how that’s going to work.”
The first three seasons of Stranger Things are now available for streaming on Netflix. Matarazzo can also be seen as the host of hidden camera prank series Prank Encounters, also available for streaming on Netflix.
