'Stranger Things' star Gaten Matarazzo says surgery to remove extra teeth was a success
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'Stranger Things' star Gaten Matarazzo says surgery to remove extra teeth was a success

The 17-year-old actor was born with cleidocranial dysplasia, a condition that affects the growth of his bones and teeth.
Image: Gaten Matarazzo
Gaten Matarazzo arrives at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.Jordan Strauss / Invision/AP file

"Stranger Things" star Gaten Matarazzo said Friday that the surgery he underwent this week was to remove 14 extra teeth, and that the four-hour procedure went well.

The 17-year-old actor has been open about living with cleidocranial dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder that affects the growth of teeth and bones. Matarazzo has said that because of the condition he was born without collarbones and has more teeth than the average person although they don't grow in properly.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, he told his more than 13 million followers that he was undergoing a "big" surgery. In his update Friday, he said the successful surgery was hopefully his last one.

"Though my expression in this picture may not show it, the surgery was a complete success," Matarazzo captioned a photo of himself bandaged and giving a thumbs-up sign. "This was such a big one, it may be the last one I need. Hopefully at least."

Matarazzo said many people with cleidocranial dysplasia, like himself, have extra teeth that grow in their 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," he explained in his Instagram post. "In this surgery, the team of amazing medical professionals extracted 14 supernumerary teeth and exposed six of my adult teeth. "

Cleidocranial dysplasia, also known as CCD, affects one in 1 million children and can be passed from a parent or caused by a random mutation, according to CCD Smiles, a nonprofit organization Matarazzo works with.

Common characteristics of the condition are dental abnormalities, underdeveloped or absent collarbones and delayed closing of the spaces between the skull bones, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.

There isn't a specific treatment for the condition, but CCD can be managed with dental work and surgeries to correct any bone deformities.