Gaten Matarazzo: Health, Relationships, and Career Facts

Anyone who has watched Stranger Things knows Dustin Henderson’s distinctive smile. But for Gaten Matarazzo, that smile is part of a larger story about living with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), a rare genetic bone disorder he was diagnosed with two days after birth.

Born: September 8, 2002 (IMDb film database) ·
Birthplace: New London, Connecticut (IMDb) ·
Known for: Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things (IMDb) ·
Diagnosed with: Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) (Health Insight medical advocacy resource) ·
Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) (Wikipedia)

Six key facts, one pattern: Matarazzo’s public profile is built on openness — from his medical condition to his personal life, almost everything is documented in reliable sources.

What is Gaten Matarazzo diagnosed with?

What is cleidocranial dysplasia?

• CCD is a rare genetic bone disorder that affects the development of bones and teeth (Health Insight medical advocacy resource).
• It often involves the skull and collarbones, and can cause dental abnormalities (Esquire men’s lifestyle magazine).
• Matarazzo was diagnosed two days after birth (Esquire).

How does CCD affect Gaten Matarazzo?

• He has said he does not have collarbones and uses dentures because of CCD (Hawaii Family Dental blog).
• His condition caused many baby teeth to not fall out naturally, leading to multiple dental surgeries (Esquire).
• He considers his CCD mild and says it has actually helped his acting career by making him look younger (Health Insight).

The implication: Matarazzo’s condition is a visible difference that he has refused to hide — and the showrunners of Stranger Things wrote it into the script after casting him.

Is Gaten Matarazzo in a relationship?

Who is Gaten Matarazzo dating?

• Matarazzo is in a relationship with Elizabeth (Lizzy) Yu (Wikipedia).
• He confirmed the relationship publicly in 2022 (Wikipedia).

Are Lizzy and Gaten still together?

• As of the most recent public information, they are still together (Wikipedia).
• No break-up announcements or credible reports suggest otherwise.

The pattern: Matarazzo keeps his relationship relatively private but has acknowledged it when asked directly.

Does Gaten Matarazzo have a child?

Does Gaten Matarazzo have a baby?

• No, Matarazzo does not have any children (Wikipedia).
• No public records or statements indicate he is a father.

What this means: Despite rumors that sometimes circulate on social media, there is zero evidence that Matarazzo has a child. He is not married and has no children.

What’s the deal with Gaten Matarazzo’s teeth?

How does CCD affect his teeth?

• CCD delays the eruption of permanent teeth and often causes baby teeth to remain in place (Health Insight).
• Matarazzo’s missing or delayed teeth are a direct symptom of CCD (Hawaii Family Dental).

Has he had dental surgeries?

• He had his first surgery at age 14 to extract baby teeth and help adult teeth come down (Esquire).
• He has had multiple dental surgeries and uses dentures (Hawaii Family Dental).

Gaten Matarazzo age, height, and parents

How old is Gaten Matarazzo?

• Born September 8, 2002, making him 22 years old as of 2025 (IMDb).

How tall is Gaten Matarazzo?

• His height is 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) (Wikipedia).

Who are Gaten Matarazzo’s parents?

• His parents are Heather and Gaten Matarazzo Sr. (Wikipedia).

The pattern: These basic biographical details are consistent across multiple sources, giving them high confidence.

Gaten Matarazzo movies and TV shows

What is Gaten Matarazzo most famous for?

• He is primarily known for playing Dustin Henderson in the Netflix series Stranger Things, which premiered in July 2016 (IMDb).
• He originally auditioned for the role of Mike Wheeler before being cast as Dustin (Wikipedia).

List of Gaten Matarazzo roles beyond Stranger Things

• He appeared in the 2022 film The Lost Lot (IMDb).
• He performed on Broadway in Les Misérables (IMDb).
• His career began with stage performances before television (Wikipedia).

The catch: Despite his young age, Matarazzo has already built a resume that spans stage, streaming, and indie film.

For young actors and fans with visible differences, Matarazzo’s story is a reminder that a condition like CCD doesn’t have to define a career — it can become a platform. The challenge now is to keep that awareness growing beyond the screen, especially as Stranger Things approaches its final season.