Much of the current literature suggests that total ankle replacement (TAR) is no longer an inferior or fringe treatment for advanced ankle arthritis compared with ankle fusion, but rather a viable option for recalcitrant arthritic ankle pathology in the correct patient population. In this article, current concepts associated with successful outcomes for TAR are discussed with an emphasis on ankle joint anatomy and biomechanics, preoperative planning and patient selection, understanding pathomechanics and soft tissue balancing, as well as the surgeon’s learning curve.