Dental crowns (also called caps) can be a solution for teeth that are broken or misshapen, but they don’t last forever. While they might faithfully serve you for many years, there will come a time when you’ll need to get them replaced. Using the same crown for too long can lead to it failing, which can cause mild to severe tooth pain, inflammation, and tooth decay. Here are some signs that you might need to get a new one and how you can catch it before it becomes a problem.

Toothaches can strike without warning for a number of reasons—mouth injury, sinus infections, and tooth decay, to name a few. But the most devastating time to go through tooth pain is when you’re trying to sleep. It can create a vicious cycle where you can’t get enough rest to get better, and you can’t heal to fall asleep.

So, what can you do? While emergency dentists exist, they operate during the day when most people are active. This can leave you responsible for your care while you wait until morning to make an appointment to have the issue addressed.

Continue reading to find some of the best techniques to relieve the pain of a toothache and get yourself to dreamland.