This case involves a claim for medical (dental) malpractice. In July 1981 plaintiff Linda Schmidt had permanent crowns placed on teeth numbers 15, 18 and 19 by defendant Erwin R. Parnés, D.D.S. Schmidt visited defendant’s office several times over the next three years for other routine procedures, such as cleanings and having fillings placed in her teeth. According to his uncontradicted deposition testimony, on July 14, 1984, defendant suggested that the margins be redone on the crowns which had been placed on teeth numbers 15, 18 and 19 but Schmidt indicated she did not want to undergo the procedure at that time. In August 1984 defendant placed a crown on tooth number 31; in November 1985 defendant performed a root canal on that tooth. In December 1986 Schmidt contacted another dentist, presumably because of her dissatisfaction with treatment rendered to her by defendant.
On June 26, 1987, Schmidt and her husband (hereinafter referred to as plaintiffs) filed the present action for medical malpractice and loss of consortium based on their contention that defendant was negligent in furnishing dental treatment to Schmidt. Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment in response to which plaintiffs filed the affidavit of their expert witness who averred that the placement of the crowns on teeth numbers 15, 18 and 19 in 1981 was negligent. Plaintiffs’ expert further averred that defendant should have observed and repaired the open margins around these crowns and that Schmidt had suffered gum disease, bone loss and abscesses because of defendant’s failure to repair these open margins. On August 30, 1988, the trial court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment finding, inter alia, that the applicable statute of limitation had expired and that the action was barred by the statute of ultimate repose and abrogation. We affirm.
1. “The statute of limitation relevant to this action is OCGA § 9-3-71 as amended July 1,1985. See
Hunter v. Johnson,
*623
Plaintiffs argue, however, that the statute of limitation or repose should have been tolled because the negligence here was in the nature of a continuing tort, which, plaintiffs contend, is analogous to the situation which occurs when a patient’s injury in a medical malpractice action has been concealed by the fraud of the tortfeasor. See
Hill v. Fordham,
2. Because of our holding in Division 1, it is unnecessary for us to consider plaintiffs’ remaining enumerations of error.
Judgment affirmed.
