In a surprising turn of events, Roberto Firmino has decided not to renew his contract and will leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
Firmino has been an integral part of Liverpool’s success over the past eight years, scoring 107 goals and providing 78 assists in 352 appearances.
He has won seven titles with Liverpool, including the Champions League in the 2018/19 season and the Premier League title a year later.
With the news of his departure, it is hard not to reminisce on the moments that have made Firmino such an iconic figure at Anfield, including the creation of his signature smile.
It is next to impossible to not notice his pearly white teeth, and it turns out that there is a fascinating story behind them.
The man responsible for the Brazilian’s Hollywood smile is Robbie Hughes, a Liverpool-based dentist who has worked with a number of the club’s players.
Hughes first met Firmino when the striker came to see him alongside his former teammate and fellow countryman, Philippe Coutinho.
According to Hughes, Firmino was interested in getting a new smile, and it was clear from the outset that he wanted something beyond the norm. He went on to explain:
“When it comes to choosing the colour we have shades of 4, 3, 2, 1 – with one being the whitest. Roberto saw the chart and asked for ‘Maximo’ – beyond one. We created that colour for him.”
The process of creating Firmino’s new smile was not a simple one. The dentist had to work closely with the striker to ensure that the end result was exactly what he wanted.
The procedure involved a combination of whitening and veneers, with the latter being used to reshape the teeth and give them a more uniform appearance.
Hughes is known for his meticulous approach to cosmetic dentistry and spared no expense in creating Firmino’s new smile.
While the exact cost of the procedure is not known, it is safe to assume that it was a significant investment, with veneers alone typically costing between £500 and £1,500 per tooth!
According to one estimate, which sums up all costs as a full makeover of the mouth, the overall cost could be well over £20,000.
If Firmino opted for the most expensive style for each and every tooth, that is, the £1,500 option, then his cost was probably around £50,000.
If dental implants were needed, the cost may easily go above £80,000.
Despite the cost, it is clear that Firmino was more than pleased with the results, and his new smile had become something of a talking point among Liverpool fans.
The striker’s dazzling grin was frequently on display during training sessions and on matchdays, and it is surely one of the countless things fans will miss about him.
