To evaluate the effects of dementia on denture-handling ability, we measured the amount of time that elderly subjects spent inserting and removing dentures. Elderly subjects with dementia tended to take more time inserting and removing dentures than those who were not demented. Only elderly patients who were severely demented needed significantly more time removing partial dentures than they did removing complete dentures. There was no significant difference between the time spent inserting dentures and removing dentures. The greater amount of time required to insert or remove dentures for subjects with dementia was due to disorientation. The results indicate that elderly people with mild to moderate dementia are able to insert and remove their dentures without help.