Expanding orthopedic pacifier

An orthopedic pacifier that creates upward and outward forces on the maxillary palate laterally on each side of the arch midline as the child sucks on the pacifier, the pacifier comprising:

• a shield adapted to remain outside of the mouth;
• a bulb adapted to be located in the mouth and on which the child sucks, the bulb defining a base portion that is coupled to the shield, and a closed hollow flexible posterior bulbous portion defining a bulb wall upper section to be located proximate the palate;
• and
• structures located at least partially inside the bulbous portion that as the result of a sucking action produce a force directly on the inside of the bulb wall upper section in at least two separate locations of the bulb wall upper section, one on each side of the arch midline, to push the bulb wall upper section against the palate and thereby create upward and outward forces on the maxillary palate laterally on each side of the arch midline as the child sucks on the pacifier, in which the structures comprise elongated pivoting members that are in contact with the inside of the bulb wall at the at least two separate locations.