Worth it? Not? What are your stories? Opinions of health-care professionals on here?

I know one of the screws in my back is slightly bent, but I doubt it has anything to do with the day-to-day back pain. My doctor gave me the option to have the hardware removed at any time I want. But I don't know if it's really worth having surgery again...And I worry that a doctor who stands to profit from cutting me open isn't going to give me a straight answer on whether the surgery is worth it.

(Fortunately the muscles over the screws have grown enough that I no longer get searched every time I go through an image scanner at the airport, or I'd have them out in a heartbeat )