Anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) treatment for cervical spondylosis has been more than half a century, and achieved good clinical results. However, with the continuous extension of follow-up time, the fusion segment-associated postoperative complications emerged gradually. Reserved cervical stability and activity, the concept of non-fusion was born. As a non-fusion technique, cervical artificial disc replacement (CADR) developed rapidly. With the continuous development of artificial prosthesis materials and design concepts, and specification and proficiency of surgical procedures, CADR has achieved better short- and mid-term clinical efficacy than ACDF. Compared with ACDF, the main advantages of CADR are that the postoperative recovery is quick, the activity and stability of cervical vertebra are maintained, the height of cervical intervertebral space is restored, and the stress of adjacent segments and the rate of surgical renovation are reduced. In clinical work, as an emerging technology, CADR requires spine surgeons to control the surgical indications, contraindications, and patients’ conditions strictly. This article reviews the research progress of CADR in order to provide new ideas for clinical treatment of cervical spondylosis.